Fate - Return by Death, A Path to Misery
by LDC Trial Edition
Summary: "What is going on?" Subaru Natsuki, a Japanese boy who somehow brought into a fantasy world asked. It's not because he was brought into a fantasy world. It's because the setting is different. His ability allows him to return to a certain point in the past. The first three walkthroughs were similar in details. However, for the fourth time, things start to get messy.
1. Prologue

[Author's note]

I am back!

Though not completely back...

It is finally here!

The continuation of Return from Nothingness!

Anyways, the progress is a bit slow because my laptop broke down and I got busy IRL.

Luckily, I save the files inside a flash drive so all of the progress is safe.

Finally, I got a free week ahead!

I got more time to spend on fan fiction!

I don't expect this to get a hit since it is out of season.

There's no Re: Zero or Fate franchise around so the reader count will be low.

It is RWBY season!

But, I want to do something hipster for a change.

That is making a story out of season.

...

Wait a minute...

I always did that...

Oh well, I think I spoke too much already.

Enjoy!

* * *

Prologue: Welcome to this World, Natsuki Subaru

(Natsuki Subaru's point of view)

My name is Natsuki Subaru.

I'm your average seventeen years Japanese boy.

Just like any other ordinary Japanese, I have slanted black eyes and normal looking black hair.

What's my accomplishment?

Well, technically I'm a hikkikomori.

I spend my time on PC games, anime, manga, light novels…

That's the gist of it.

…

Wait a sec…

"Why am I talking like I'm one of those third rate light novel protagonist…!?"

"Oi…!"

A petite blond girl around my age calls out to me.

Her bloody red eyes are watching me with suspicion.

"Who are you talking to…?" She asks.

…

"Nothing… I was just talking to myself. Hahaha…!"

I let out a chuckle.

"Weirdo." She simply remarks.

…

Can't help it…

I just want to calm myself before facing that woman again…

That's right.

I'm not in Japan anymore.

I'm in a fantasy world.

Sounds cliché, right?

An average Japanese boy brought into a fantasy world.

Later, the boy will be revealed as the chosen one and will proceed to become a hero.

Then, the boy will find a girl, a princess, as his love interest.

The said boy will do everything for the girl and the girl will fall for him as well.

After that, the main villain, a Demon King will appear as a plot twist!

He will abduct the princess!

The boy, the chosen one, will confront the Demon King, with or without companions.

As the prophecy foretell, the boy will emerge victorious and the Demon King will be defeated.

In the end, the boy and the girl will get married and live happily ever after.

…

I wish my story was like that…

Unlike those chosen ones, I don't any special abilities granted by the force that brought me here.

…

Maybe I do have one…

But—

…

 _Return by Death_

That's the name of my newfound ability.

Every time I die, I will return to a certain save point.

It's just like an RPG game.

Before we face a boss or just somewhere in a town, a safe zone, we can 'save' the game.

My ability is almost similar to that.

Except, it's a real life thing…

…

And, I can't choose the 'save point'…

I've been dying three times in a row.

I died for the first time after being ambushed by an unknown woman.

I didn't see her at all…

…

It was painful…

Never once in my life I would feel so cold, terrified…

However, getting killed isn't that vexing to me.

What makes me feel frustrated is that girl…

The silver haired girl who called herself Satella.

She died…

She died before my very eyes…

I don't care if I got killed.

But I don't want her to die…

Just before I 'die' for the first time, I saw her getting killed.

Then, I pray to whatever hold the power in this new world, to give me strength.

I wish I could do something to save her.

And then, it happened!

I found myself standing before the fruit seller.

I encountered him upon arrival.

It was a strange sight…

I mean, I died…

I felt the cold of death…

Then suddenly, I'm alive again.

I was confused by the event.

But, I figure I should do something.

I already know the upcoming events.

I can prevent it from happening!

Though, my first and second attempt failed miserably…

During the first attempt, I lose my composure and went after Satella.

I called out her name in the public.

Yet, the silver haired girl reprimanded me for calling her by that name.

…

It wasn't her real name…

Then, who is Satella?

Why did she gave me that name in our first meeting?

…

No, scratch that…

Why didn't she remember me?

Am I the only one who can remember the events?

…

"Hey, stop daydreaming! Where the heck are you going!?"

?

!

Ah, I almost walk into a wall!

The girl who warned me is staring at me suspiciously.

"Thanks Felt! I wasn't thinking straight. Hahaha…!"

I chuckle again to smoothen the atmosphere.

The name of my companion is Felt.

I learn her name and background in my second 'walkthrough'.

That means, the first time I _Return by Death_.

Since I could not get hold of the silver haired girl, I decide to go for the thief instead.

When I first arrived in this world, I was mugged by trio of lowlifes.

I thought I could deal with them easily since I came from another world.

Well, in most fantasy setting, heroes from another world will get certain boons.

For example, super strength, powerful magic, or perhaps super agility…

Apparently, I don't have such things…

I got beaten up by the trio.

Then, she appeared…

Satella, or whatever her real name was…

She saved me from the trio out of the kindness of her heart.

Seemingly, she was looking after something.

She said she lost something important to her.

So, I decide to help her.

Outwardly, her important object was stolen by a blond girl.

The said blond girl is the girl before me.

I didn't know the name of the blond girl in my first 'walkthrough'.

But we did tracked her down to her base.

It was a loot house.

But when we got there, I found a dead man…

Then, I got killed…

My second 'walkthrough' also ended in that loot house.

Since I already know the location of the loot house, I went straight to it.

The blond girl wasn't there when I arrived.

But, there is a large man who called himself Rom.

…

He was the same guy I saw dead in the first 'walkthrough'…

…

Anyways, I try to negotiate with the huge man for the girl's stolen property.

I managed to impress him with my phone.

Since this is a fantasy world, they don't have such things.

He thought it was a 'metia'.

A 'metia' is a magical object.

Whatever…

As long as I can return the stolen property to the girl before nighttime, I can prevent her from coming to the loot house.

I waited for the blond girl to return until it's close to dusk.

When she arrived, I try to shake her a deal as quickly as I can.

However, she refused.

Despite being a thief, she had a creed.

She would never let down her client.

Unless, I win against the said client with enough cash.

So, I decide to pit my phone against this 'client'.

…

That was a bad move…

The client wasn't aiming to pay in the first place…

She killed us…

She killed all of us…

 **Elsa**

That is the name of our murderer…

[Heart thumping]

…

!

I cover my mouth.

Just thinking of her is enough to make me feel nauseous…

"Hey, are you alright?" Felt asks out of concern.

…

"Aw… You do care…" I tease her.

"Why you..."

!

[EXPLOSION ~ in my mind only]

Felt's punch.

A quick strike to the lower abdomen which is very effective against idiots!

I prostrate myself before the almighty Felt.

…

Not really…

I was just coping with my pain…

"Tch." The blond girl clicks her tongue.

…

I recompose myself and follow the girl.

…

What?

Oh, you're wondering about my third 'walkthrough'.

It's kinda funny…

I got killed by the trio hoodlums.

I got cocky and tried to walk pass them.

Suddenly, I got stabbed by one of them.

My third 'walkthrough' ended just like that.

In other words, this is my fourth 'walkthrough'.

…

Speaking of which, it's pretty early…

I recall appearing before the fruit seller like my two other 'walkthroughs'.

But this time, I appear in the morning.

…

What's going on?

"We're here."

?

Wait a sec…

This doesn't look like the loot house I visited before…

It's bigger….

And they got a garden now…?

And a small stream just behind the loot house.

…

What's going on here?

"Felt, you're back."

The large tanned man shows up.

This is Old Man Rom.

…

For some reason, he looks friendlier than my first encounter with him…

In fact, Felt trusted me almost instantly…

The first time I met her, she refused to even see me in the eyes.

But this Felt is very open…

She brought me to the loot house on her own.

"Who is this? Why is he wearing a cloth like Shirou's…?"

…

That name again…

Who is this 'Shirou'?

"He said he wants to trade something for his metia." The blond girl informs the tanned man.

"Oh… He's a customer!" The old man says excitedly.

…

The Old Man Rom I know was very cautious.

He would never allow customers in unless they have the password.

But this one is allowing me in without a password?

"Speaking of which, Sasaki is home." The tanned man suddenly says.

?

Who's Sasaki?

"Tch. He's home already?" Felt clicks her tongue.

"He's been gone for half a month. I prepare curry just for this occasion. Oh, and Robin is here too!"

?

"Not Robin! I hate that guy!" The blond girl palms her face.

Curry...?

Robin?

"What the heck is going on!?"

[Thud]

"GUOH!"

"What's your problem?" The blond girl says nonchalantly after kicking me.

…

"Let's get inside! Shirou said curry is more delicious served hot." The old man urges us to enter.

The blond girl let out a sigh.

"Whatever… You're coming, weirdo?"

…

"Stop calling me weirdo! I have a name!"

"Whatever…" She says nonchalantly.

I grit my teeth.

I swear I will get you for this.

…

Old Man Rom is cooking curry…!?

* * *

/~Inside the loot house~/

* * *

Currently, I'm sitting on the counter next to Felt.

Beside her is a guy with green tattered robe.

…

He's handsome…

His alluring green eyes and that silky brown hair…

"Grrr…"

"Why are you looking at me like that, new guy?" He says nonchalantly.

"Nothing…"

He didn't do anything yet…

But I don't like him…

I don't like handsome guys in general.

They tend to overshadow guys like me.

…

Well, let's ignore him for now.

There's another guy inside here beside the brunette pretty boy and Old Man Rom.

…

He's wearing an old-fashion kimono.

If I don't know any better, I'd say he's Japanese.

…

Is he?

"Oya…? Are you interested in me?" The man says nonchalantly.

…

"BUH!"

Like hell I'm interested in a guy!

"Ah… I see… I was that disgusting…" The man in kimono says in dejected tone.

"HAHAHA…! You're funny!" The pretty boy laughs.

…

"Say, I haven't heard your name." The brunette says.

…

"I'm Natsuki Subaru."

"Subaru-kun, huh? I'm Robin Hood. Just call me Robin."

…

"BUH!"

He's Robin Hood…!?

His face contorts in confusion.

"Was my name that disgusting?"

…

"No, no, no, no… I was surprised to hear your name. It's almost similar to a guy in my country."

By that I mean the infamous Prince of Thieves.

But this is a fantasy world.

Of course there's Robin Hood.

…

So, who's the other guy?

…

Apparently, the guy is still dejected from earlier…

"Oh, that guy is Kojirou Sasaki." Felt speaks for the first time.

…

!

"BUH!"

SASAKI KOJIROU…!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?

HE'S CLEARLY JAPANESE!

WHAT IS HE DOING HERE!?

"Oi… If you keep spraying at my face like that, I'll have to kick you out." The blond girl threatens me.

"Sorry, sorry… I won't do it again."

…

Still, Sasaki Kojirou?

I learn from my history class that he's a real person.

He's a master swordsman who founded the _kenjutsu_ school of _Ganryu_.

Despite being a hikkikomori, I actually practice kendo.

Learning these stuffs are just part of my hobby.

…

Maybe Sasaki could teach me his famous technique, the _Tsubame Gaeshi_.

From what I learn, _Tsubame Gaeshi_ is a technique involving striking downward from above and then instantly striking again in an upward motion from below.

It's a two slashes combination attack.

Normally, it's impossible for a person to execute such attack with a katana.

A katana is heavier than what people usually assumed.

Yeah, in anime, the MCs and the heroines are able to swing katana like they were made of paper.

But truthfully, trying to strike in an upward motion from below is hard.

Unless you try it yourself, you wouldn't know.

According to history, Sasaki was using a 90 cm _nodachi_.

A common _nodachi_ would be around 70 cm.

His katana was special.

His _nodachi_ is twenty centimeter longer than common _nodachi_.

I tried lifting a 70 cm nodachi once.

It was heavy!

Trying to swing upward was impossible without proper training.

And to execute a downward slash and resume consecutively with an upward slash is impossible for untrained civilians.

But Sasaki managed to pull it out.

 _Monohoshizao_

That was the name of his _nodachi_.

To be able to use such katana, he must be one hell of a monster…

I heard he used it so fluidly almost like flying swallow.

I guess that's where _Tsubame Gaeshi_ got its name.

"Here it is! Potato, carrot, and turnip curry!" Old Man Rom shows up with several serving of curry.

He places them in front of us.

"Wow! You actually learn how to cook curry?" The brunette, who claimed to be Robin Hood, says in excited tone.

...

Potato, carrot, and turnip curry…?

What kind of curry is that?

I look at my portion.

…

It looks like a terrible pool of disaster…

My people say that curry is like the mother ocean.

It can accept anything.

To a degree…

No one can mess up making curry.

But this one looks like a complete cataclysm…

"Hmm, hmm… I shall indulge myself." Sasaki suddenly says.

!

"Stop…!"

But I was too late…

Sasaki already scooped it into his mouth.

"What's wrong? Never heard of curry before?"

The blond girl beside me swallows her portion like it was nothing.

Beside her, Robin Hood is eating his share as well.

…

I turn to the large tanned man.

"Help yourself with it. I still have a lot in the kitchen." He smiles at me.

…

I spoon a small thing.

I think it was potato.

…

[Gulp]

?

Hey, it's not that bad!

* * *

/~after meal~/

* * *

That was one satisfying meal.

It's wasn't that good but it's passable by my standard.

"Hey Felt, did you get anything from the mansion I told you before?" Robin starts the conversation.

The blond girl removes herself from her seat and stands proudly in the center of the room.

"I got a metia out of it." She says proudly.

"Oh really? What was it?" The brunette eggs her to continue.

The blond girl smirks.

"A Dragon Pearl."

…

""A what?"" Robin and I say at the same time.

The two of us exchange glance.

"A Dragon Pearl! The guards were all flustered and went berserk when I stole it." The blond girl claims.

…

"Oya…? Are you talking about the guards I beat down half a month ago?" Sasaki suddenly interjects.

The blond girl gives him a thumbs up.

"You were a lifesaver, Sasaki!"

Meanwhile, Robin is musing to himself.

"A Dragon Pearl…? What the heck is that?" He muses.

…

"Can I see it?" I decide to ask.

The girl's eyes shine like stars.

"You're going to buy it?"

?

…

!

I shake my head violently.

"No, no, no, no! I was just going to take a look. I want to trade for something else."

The girl's mood turns sour.

"Oh… Fine. I'll get it." She walks away dejectedly.

…

She shows up from the kitchen with something in her hand.

At least I think it was the kitchen…

"Here it is."

She puts the strange object on the counter.

Robin, Sasaki, and I move closer to inspect the object.

…

It is round and it's golden in color.

Strangely, it has a single star symbol on it.

…

Where did I see such thing?

…

!

"It's a Dragon Ball!"

It is Toriyama- _sensei_ 's Dragon Ball in the flesh!

Does that mean I can meet a real life Goku?

"A Dragon what…?" Felt tilts her head.

"Dragon Ball! It's a wish granting object. If you collect all seven of them, you can summon a Dragon God and have him grant you a wish!"

You can even revive the dead with it!

…

What the heck is going on…!?

Why is a Dragon Ball here…!?

?

For some reason, Felt is covering her mouth.

"Bu-"

"Bu…?"

"BUHAHAHA! A wish granting object? If such thing exist, anyone can live happily ever after!"

…

"Ah! Now I remember! It's a Dragon Jewel! You got the name wrong." Robin suddenly interjects.

?

"Surprisingly, it's pretty valuable. And it's not a metia. It can't even do a thing." He adds.

?

"The reason it's being valuable is because it is said to belong to the dragon. You know, the dragon that governs Lugnica." He adds again.

…

"Try collect all seven of them. I bet the dragon will grant you a wish."

The brunette stares at me like I have grown two heads.

"Why do you thinks there are only seven of them? I heard rumors that there were twenty seven Jewels all together."

…

"TWENTY SEVEN…!?"

The other occupants of the loot house cover their ears.

"Hey, stop shouting! I'll kick your ass if you do that again!" Felt threatens me.

"Sorry, sorry…"

…

"Still, we should try collecting all twenty seven of them. Maybe the dragon will give us something in return."

The brunette palms his face.

"Listen here, Subaru-kun. Wish granting objects do not come that easily. Collecting all twenty seven of them won't be easy." He reasons with me.

I nod.

"Yeah, I know that. But, it won't be for nothing. We can even revive the dead with it!"

At least that's what I learn from the manga.

"Are you stupid…? I don't think that kind of wish is possible." Felt interjects.

"Believe me. It is possible."

I have _Return by Death_.

If I can have such ability, the dragon could revive the dead if it wants.

…

I think I forgot my real reason for being here…

I palm my face.

I was supposed to trade my phone for Satella's lost property!

Why am I associating with these people?

[Bell ringing]

?

"Oh, it's you again." Felt snorts.

A tall slender man with black overcoat enters the scene.

His long silver hair sways as he walks.

…

Where did I see such features?

"I just overheard a fascinating conversation." The newcomer says.

"Hey Felt, who is this guy?" Robin asks her.

Sasaki is eyeing him with great interest.

"Oh, he's Sephiroth." The girl responds.

…

!

"BUH!"

That's the third time I sputter this day!

Sephiroth, as in, THAT SEPHIROTH!

The one from Final Fantasy VII…!

I thought that was a game!

I played that in my childhood.

"THAT'S IT!" Felt suddenly yells.

"GET OUT OF HERE!"

!

Felt's Rush.

A series of punches that deliberately target the victim's lower abdomen.

It is extremely effective against those who sputter a lot!

* * *

/~after that painful experience~/

* * *

That wasn't a good experience…

"Are you alright, Subaru-kun?" Robin asks me.

…

But he doesn't even look at me when he says that…

"I got hit by that every day. So get used to it." He smirks.

"So, you came for the Dragon Jewel?" Felt asks the silver haired man.

The man nods.

"We already have the other twenty six Jewels. We only need one more to complete the collection."

!

"Don't give it to him, Felt!"

Sephiroth is evil!

He's going to kill us all!

"How much does it usually cost, Robin?" The girl asks, ignoring me.

"Fifty thousand Jewels at minimum." The brunette says nonchalantly.

…

That's a ridiculous amount…

Even my phone doesn't cost that much in Old Man Rom's opinion.

"You heard him." The blond girl says.

The silver haired man smirks.

!

"He's going to kill us!"

At my remark, the silver haired man tilts his head.

"Why would I kill people randomly?"

…

"You can't fool me, Sephiroth! I know who you are! You are a villain! You are the harbinger that will destroy the world!"

The silver haired man chuckles.

"Ah… I see… You came from that world, didn't you?" He muses.

He eyes me from top to bottom.

"I guess from where you came from, I'm just a game character. But, I'm very real. And—"

!

All of a sudden, he's beside me.

"I am a villain." He whispers at my ear.

…

He steps away from me.

"Oi, Subaru. Aren't you exaggerating things? You just met him and you're already calling him a villain?" Felt says.

…

He just admitted that he is a villain…

What is he planning to do with the Dragon Balls?

Is he going to wish for eternal life?

"My employer will arrive tomorrow with the payment. With that I bid you goodbye." He bows.

…

His employer…?

Sephiroth has an employer…?

"Wait!" Sasaki suddenly halts him.

The man in kimono strides forward.

"By any chance, are you a swordsman?"

?

"Yes, I am a swordsman." The silver haired man replies.

…

Sasaki is going to challenge him!

"How about a little spar before you go?" The man in kimono suggests.

Smirking at him, the silver haired man nods.

"That's a sound idea. How should we do this?"

All of a sudden, Robin tosses something to Sephiroth.

He catches it without fazing.

It was a wooden sword.

"I carve it myself, you know?" Robin brags.

The silver haired man smirks.

"Shall we?"

He gestures to the outside.

Sasaki nods.

?

I noticed something.

Sasaki is strapping a wooden pole at his back.

* * *

/~outside~/

* * *

It's high noon.

The two swordsmen are standing on opposite sides.

They are separated about five meters.

In Sephiroth's left hand, Robin's self-carved sword is present.

It's around a meter, a standard length for western long swords.

Meanwhile, Sasaki is holding a meter long wooden pole.

…

Is that supposed to be a 'laundry-drying pole'?

I know that _Monohoshizao_ is nicknamed as a laundry pole…

But to take it literally…

Sasaki is out of his mind!

"What an interesting choice of weapon." Sephiroth comments.

"I don't have much choice. It's the only thing I could use as a weapon." Sasaki responds.

The two swordsmen take their stance.

…

From the game I played, Sephiroth has this unique basic attack that can split into three consecutive slashes.

Is he going to use it in this spar?

"Cut."

!

He's using his signature technique so early in the fight!

In a flash, Sephiroth disappear from our sight.

[Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack]

"Vanish."

[CLACK]

Their weapons intersect each other.

I didn't even see their moves!

They are truly monsters!

"I see… An eight consecutive slashes combination, executed in well-coordinated strategy. That won't work against Sasaki." The brunette besides me comments.

?

"Wait… You can see them?"

The brunette tilts his head.

"If I can't even see this slow skirmish, I won't qualify as a Servant." He deadpans.

…

What's a Servant?

…

Huh!?

He said it was a slow skirmish!

[Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack]

The two men exchange blows.

I couldn't follow their movements.

From time to time, I could see their afterimage.

But that's it.

I can't see the rest of it.

"Vanish."

A simple two handed slash.

[CLACK]

Sasaki was forced to back away from that attack.

"Kuh…!" The man in kimono grunts.

The silver haired man smirks.

"You have an interesting style, Sasaki. I haven't heard the rest of your name." He suddenly starts a conversation.

"Heh." The purple haired man recomposes himself.

"My name is Sasaki Kojirou. Please to meet you, Sephiroth."

He forms a new stance.

It was similar to Sephiroth's stance when he was about to use Octaslash.

The weapon is raised to his eye level with both arms.

"Hoh… You're showing me your ultimate technique?" The main villain of FF7 muses.

…

Sorry, can't help it…

To me, he's always the main villain of that game.

"You have shown me your techniques. It wouldn't be fair if I don't respond in kind." The man in kimono smirks.

!

Here it comes!

The legendary technique of Sasaki Kojirou!

" _Hiken_ —"

In a flash, he's in front of Sephiroth!

The silver haired man was ready for him.

" _Tsubame Gaeshi._ "

…

It was over in a flash…

I don't know what to say…

It's not like what I imagine at all.

 _Tsubame Gaeshi_

Just now, I saw a miracle.

The pole, which act as a sword, split into three and attack Sephiroth from three decisive angles.

It prevent him from escaping.

The silver haired man managed to parry one of the slashes but received the rest of it.

He's kneeling before Sasaki right now.

"Heh… So that is _Tsubame Gaeshi_. I thought it was something like my Reaper slash."

The silver haired man winces.

The victor turns his back to his opponent and sheathes his pole in sword sheathing manner.

"This match is over. I'm afraid I'm victorious, Sephiroth." He declares his victory.

Shrugging his defeat, the slender man stands tall.

In terms of height, he was way taller than Sasaki.

"Indeed. Perhaps, this is my second defeat in this world. However, this is a defeat that I can enjoy." He declares.

Smiling to his opponent, Sasaki offers Sephiroth his hand.

"Perhaps we can have another spar in the future."

Sephiroth throws away the wooden sword and accepts Sasaki's handshake with his right hand.

"Yes. Let us spar again."

…

Wait, that's it?

And Sasaki actually won against that monster…!?

…

Wait a sec…

Sephiroth favors using a three meter o'dachi.

He's been playing Sasaki for a fool!

"It's my complete defeat. You are a superior swordsman, Sasaki." I overheard their conversation.

The Japanese man shakes his head.

"Iya, iya… You were taken by surprise. If you knew about my technique first hand, you would could find a way to take me on."

"Indeed. However, the element of surprise is part of a sword duel. You won this spar fair and square. You even blocked my Octaslash."

"Maybe the outcome will be different in our next spar."

"Perhaps. I look forward to the next round."

…

They are talking they were old pals!

"Ever since I arrived in this world, my overall abilities are raised."

?

Robin is talking to himself.

"I guess that applies to Sasaki too, huh? Former Servants obtain amazing boons from this world. Just what is going on?"

…

"Hey, what are you talking about?"

The brunette shakes his head violently.

"Nothing! I was just talking to myself."

…

Suspicious…

"We shall part our ways for now. My employer has tasked me with another errand."

!

A single black wing appears on Sephiroth's back!

Robin and Sasaki were surprised by it.

"Oh. You guys didn't know? He's a crow man." Felt comments nonchalantly.

The silver haired man chuckles.

"Whatever you say, Felt."

[Wing flapping]

The one-winged man flies to the sky.

…

"I guess that kind of race exist in this world, huh?" Robin muses.

"What an amazing display! He has a wing! And he could fly!" Sasaki gushes over that sight.

…

Felt yawns at the sight.

"I saw it several times already." She comments.

…

Who the hell are you, Felt?

You're surrounded by these amazing people.

…

Wait a sec…

Just what is wrong with this 'walkthrough'!?

First, the loot house is different.

Then, Robin Hood and Sasaki exists.

They are living in the same house.

Dragon Balls also exist.

And now, Sephiroth?

…

I'm losing my mind…

"So, what's the deal?" Felt suddenly talks to me.

"Huh?"

"You said you want to trade something for your metia. So, what do you want? You can't have the Dragon Jewel since that guy wanted it."

…

Screw it.

I just want to save Satella.

The world can go to hell for all I care.

"Give me the thing that you stole from that girl."

"Huh…?" The blond girl tilts her head.

"I want to trade my metia for the thing that you stole from a silver haired girl." I say with firm resolve.

The blond girl stares at me blankly.

"No can do. If you really want the seal, you'll have to compete against my client."

[Heart thumping]

No…

"Anything but that!"

The blond girl was shaken by my sudden outburst.

"My metia is more valuable than anything you ever see. There's no way your client could pay more for it!"

"Oi, Subaru-kun."

Robin suddenly interjects.

"I don't know what your deal is... But, what's with your attitude?" Robin says in hostile tone.

?

"Don't be rude to a lady. Maybe Felt-chan is younger than all of us. But she's still a woman." The brunette chastises me.

…

For some reason, Felt is fuming with anger.

"Don't add –chan to my name!"

[THUD]

Felt's roundhouse kick.

A powerful nimble technique that is effective against annoying people.

Robin was sent flying to the flowing water stream.

…

"Aside from Robin's stupid statement, I do agree with him. What's your deal?" Felt recomposes herself.

…

Meanwhile, Sasaki quietly enters the loot house, ignoring our serious conversation.

…

"Whatever… Elsa is coming tomorrow. So, why don't you find a place to crash?"

[Heart thumping]

"NO! Trade it with me already!" I grab her by her shoulders.

"He-hey! What's your problem…!?" The blond girl retorts.

"You don't want to die, do you? So, trade it with me!"

[Splat]

?

"Huh…?"

All of a sudden, I feel a piercing pain on my chest.

Felt's face is covered with blood.

…

I slowly move my hand to my chest.

Blood…

There's blood gushing out from my chest.

The girl before me is shaking.

"Robin, what did you—"

"You dare threaten my family? Shame on you, Subaru-kun."

An arrow.

There's an arrow stuck on my left chest where my heart situated.

I cough out blood.

I fall to my knee.

Robin, the brunette man is looking at me with disdain.

"Go inside Felt-chan. Go wash your face. I'll throw away his corpse by nighttime."

…

My vision slowly turns red.

"Ro-Robin! You-you killed him!"

"He threatened you. I don't take people like him lightly."

"But—"

My vision is completely red.

I can't see anything anymore…

But I can still hear things.

"Hey Subaru-kun. Humans don't die instantly when they are pierced in the heart." I heard Robin says.

"But they are going to die anyway… You got two minutes before you are completely dead. Any last words?"

…

"You—"

—bastard…

* * *

/~ _Return by Death_ ~/

* * *

"A Dragon Pearl…? What the heck is that?"

…

This is…

Felt is standing at the center of the room.

And beside me is—

[Heart thumping]

…

My murderer…

"Hey, why are you looking at me like I'm some kind of a ghost?"

[Heart thumping]

!

I jump away from my seat.

The other occupants of the room stare at me.

"No… It's nothing."

Robin just shrugs.

"Oi."

...

"Oi."

…

"I said 'OI'!"

[EXPLOSION ~ in my mind only]

Felt's flying kick.

A dynamic kick with enough dynamism to send anyone flying to the wall.

It's extremely effective against ignorant people!

[THUD]

"WHAT THE HECK!? WHY ARE YOU KICKING ME!?"

"Stop ignoring me, you stupid asshole!"

The two of us trade glares.

"HAHAHAHA!"

The brunette man laughs.

"You're funny, Subaru-kun." He comments.

…

"Oya…? I think we got a visitor." Sasaki suddenly comments.

…

It's Sephiroth, isn't it?

"But, I think he left since we were too rowdy." Sasaki suddenly adds.

?

"What…!? Our customer walks away? THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Felt points at me.

…

"Huh…? How is it my fault? You were the one who started it!"

We trade glares again.

"I see you got along with the newcomer."

Old Man Rom finally makes appearance.

I was wondering what he was doing in the kitchen.

"Oh. Isn't that what I brought in?" Robin says excitedly.

…

"Yes! I have appraised it! It's another metia!" The tanned man declares.

?

The large man is holding a scroll.

"I don't know what's its showing me. But it is a metia." The man hands it to Robin.

Suddenly, a cat smirk appears on his face.

"Hey Subaru-kun, try opening it!" He hands me the scroll.

…

I stare at him blankly.

His playful expression goes sour.

"Aw… You're no fun. Sasaki, how about you?"

He hands the scroll to the samurai.

"Oya…? Just what is it inside the scroll that you want to show me?" He muses.

"Just open it." The brunette urges him.

Felt is eyeing him suspiciously.

Sasaki slowly unrolls the scroll.

[Flash]

!

All of a sudden, a bright light comes out from the scroll.

"Oh my goodness!" The samurai yells.

The light goes out in a flash.

Sasaki is sitting on the floor from the shock of it.

"What was that?" He says in terrified tone.

Meanwhile, Robin is rolling on the ground.

"You fell for it!" He says mid-laughter.

"I knew he was up to something…" Felt palms her face.

…

It was funny…

But I can't laugh…

He, Robin—

He killed me…

I can't laugh at a joke made by my murderer…

Old Man Rom is laughing at Sasaki as well.

"I was surprised too when I open the scroll. Luckily, it was nothing serious. It's just a scroll that flashes light when opened." The tanned man explains.

…

"So, what's the deal?"

?

Felt suddenly speaks to me.

"You said you want to trade something. So, what do you want?"

…

They already have something that can flash light…

If I get reckless again, Robin will kill me.

…

But if I don't trade with them now, Elsa will kill us!

…

Wait a sec…

We got Robin and Sasaki!

The last time I was here, I was with Felt and Old Man Rom.

The large man couldn't win against that crazy woman…

But this time, we got two other men present!

I don't know how good Robin is in a fight.

I do know that he could kill me in a split second…

And Sasaki is a legendary swordsman.

He even defeated Sephiroth!

…

Though, he didn't in this 'walkthrough'…

"Hey, would you believe me if I say that a killer is coming here?"

I'll take my chance.

"A killer? What are you talking about?" Old Man Rom interjects.

I have Robin's and Sasaki's attention.

"Guys, your client is an assassin."

* * *

/***the next day***/

* * *

I manage to convince them yesterday.

It wasn't an easy thing.

I told them that my phone can tell the future.

At first, Old Man Rom and Robin were skeptical.

They didn't believe my words.

Felt and Sasaki stay out from our conversation.

But for some reason, Robin suddenly believes in me…

…

It's something about my eyes.

'They were scared', he said.

The moment Elsa's name is mentioned, my eyes were scared.

He deducted that Elsa might have threatened me earlier somewhere in the past.

He's half-right about that.

Robin also asked me if Elsa's employer hold something to keep me quiet.

He asked if I had a family member being hold captive.

Of course, I replied 'none'.

Robin became suspicious of me when I answered that.

I guess it's only logical for assassins to hold hostages to keep witnesses from spewing their secrets…

It was a mistake on my part.

However, Robin decides to let it slide.

My eyes were telling him enough about Elsa.

I was terrified.

That woman killed me twice.

"I will believe in you." I recalled what he said.

"I don't know who is that Elsa woman worked for… But they picked the wrong bunch of thieves to mess with." He added.

That was yesterday.

Old Man Rom let me stay at the loot house for a night as his gratitude.

Now, we are waiting for the assassin.

Sasaki has a real sword sheathed at his back.

He is serious this time.

Robin is playing with his bow string.

…

So that's what killed me…

It was a normal bow.

It's finely crafted, suitable for the mythical archer.

Under his tattered cloak, that bow is invisible.

"She said she's coming today." Felt informs us.

What surprised me was the number of details changed in this 'walkthrough'.

From my first to my third 'walkthroughs', the details are pretty much the same.

But in my fourth 'walkthrough', things start to get screwy.

The loot house has a new look and there is Robin Hood, Sasaki Kojirou, Dragon Balls, and even Sephiroth.

Even the events start to change a lot.

I didn't meet the three hoodlums on my way here.

And I didn't meet Satella as well…

Elsa is coming the next day instead of the evening of my arrival.

"Someone's coming!" Sasaki suddenly warns us.

!

Robin keeps his bow under his cloak.

Old Man Rom has his club hidden under the counter.

[Bell ringing]

?

"Oh crap!" Felt attempts to escape.

"Don't you dare, Felt-chan…!"

A familiar voice chastises her.

It was the silver haired girl…

Robin and Sasaki relax from the tension.

?

Beside her, there's an unfamiliar person.

From the looks of it, he is of Japanese descent.

His height could easily overwhelm Robin and Sasaki.

However, he's not as tall as Sephiroth or Old Man Rom.

He's wearing a white robe with red lining.

"YOROKOBE SHOUJO! Your wish has been granted!"

…

What the heck?

"Thank you, Kirei-san." The silver haired girl bows to him.

"Hey you, YOROKOBE bastard." Robin suddenly calls out to him.

"Hmm…? What is it, my child?"

"Ew… Stop calling me that. Have we met somewhere before…?" The brunette asks.

?

They knew each other?

"I'm afraid not, dear citizen." The man in white robe replies.

Meanwhile, Felt is sighing.

"Dammit…" She curses.

The silver haired girl quickly makes her way to Felt.

"Felt-chan, could you give it back to me?" The girl asks her nicely.

?

"Wait… You know her?"

The silver haired girl turns to face me.

"I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

…

That hurts…

That hurts a lot…

For some reason, the YOROKOBE bastard is smirking.

"Such delicious expression. I knew my choice was a correct one! Being an Ally of Justice will allow me to observe more miserable people!"

"Here he goes again…" The flying spirit cat, Puck, sighs.

"Fine… I'll give it back to you." Felt hands over the seal to the silver haired girl.

"Stop right there!"

?

All of a sudden, the YOROKOBE bastard halts her.

He rushes to the blond girl's side.

"This is… How amusing." The man in white muses.

"What is it? What's the problem now, YOROKOBE bastard?" Felt narrows her eyes.

"Emilia-sama, apparently your loss of the seal has lead us to the fifth candidate."

?

Emilia…

Is that her name?

"EH…!? Felt-chan is the fifth candidate!?" The silver haired girl says in astonishment.

"Stop adding –chan in my name!" Felt argues.

"The fifth candidate? You're saying this 'Felt' is the fifth candidate to the throne?" Robin enters the fray.

The bastard nods.

"You are correct. Felt-dono is a Dragon Priestess."

…

"What kind of development is this!?"

All the occupants of the room turn their attentions to me.

"Where the heck is that assassin? I thought she was going after the seal."

"I thought you never asked."

[Heart thumping]

!

That voice…!

"Emilia-sama!"

[Clang]

The YOROKOBE bastard blocks an attack to Emilia's back.

"Tch." The attacker clicks her tongue.

Sasaki quickly draws his sword.

It was a flimsy western blade almost like a rapier.

[Clang, clang, clang, clang]

Sasaki forces the woman to back away from YOROKOBE bastard, Felt, and Emilia.

"Ara…? Who are these people? Not many can predict where I came from much less force me to back away."

The sadistic woman tilts her head.

YOROKOBE bastard shields Emilia and Felt from facing the assassin directly.

"You know, I can protect Emilia just fine." Puck interjects.

"But it is nighttime. By your contract, you are supposed to be sleeping." The man in white robe counters.

"You are right… I'm very sleepy right now." The spirit yawns.

"Don't force yourself, Puck. Kirei-san is more than able to protect me. I can protect myself as well."

Puck disappears from sight.

Sasaki is facing Elsa in a deadlock.

What is Robin doing?

…

"What are you doing!?"

He's just drinking his orange juice like nothing important is going on!

"I'm drinking carrot juice. It's fresh from the garden." He smirks.

…

"Don't worry, Subaru-kun. Sasaki is more than enough to put down that crazy woman." He adds.

…

I know how strong Sasaki is…

But, you're just too laidback!

[Clang, clang, clang, clang]

Sasaki and Elsa trade blows.

Unlike Sasaki's fight with Sephiroth, I can see their movement clearly.

?

I can see them clearly…?

…

I turn to face Robin.

If the fight against Sephiroth was slow, then this fight is just—

[Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang]

Every time Elsa tried to close in, Sasaki will respond with a slash.

She can't hurt Sasaki since the samurai had no opening.

The woman backpedals from her opponent.

"Who are you? I've never heard of a swordsman of your caliber aside from Reinhard."

Sasaki simply smirks.

"I'm just a nameless samurai."

…

Nameless, my ass…

"Hohoho… Very well, nameless samurai. I will gut you alive!" The woman says in a glee.

[Heart thumping]

…

Even when I'm with these strong people, I'm still terrified…

[Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang]

They have picked up their pace.

Their movements have become blurs in my eyes.

No.

It's Elsa who's become a blur.

Sasaki is simply standing in the middle of the room, parrying her blurring attacks.

[Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang]

Even as a blur, she can't even hurt Sasaki.

I fail to see which one is the real monster…

"I'm afraid our bout has taken too much time."

[CLANG]

Sasaki executes a large arc which easily blocked by Elsa.

However, her blurring movement was forced to a halt.

She is visible to us again.

The two combatants are standing five to six meters apart.

The place has become a wreck…

Their short skirmish causes the whole place to be a huge mess.

"Darn it, Sasaki. You're going to clean after your mess." Old Man Rom chastises the samurai.

"I heard you, Rom-dono."

He takes his stance.

!

Here it comes!

His signature technique.

"Hoh… What are you planning to do?" Elsa taunts him.

…

Wait a sec…

She had two scimitars…

She's been using one of them from the beginning!

"Sasaki-san!"

I need to warn him!

" _Hiken_ —"

Elsa approaches him in a blur.

Dammit!

" _Tsubame Gaeshi_!"

[Splat]

…

What the—

Just before he completes his attack, Elsa backpedals away.

However, she wasn't unscathed…

Her neck, her right arm and her lower abdomen were slightly cut.

It was not fatal since she avoided it on time.

"I see… You got good instinct." Sasaki muses.

"What was that? What did you do?" Elsa hisses at him.

The samurai looks upward.

…

But, there's only the ceiling…

We were indoors the whole time.

And no one broke the ceiling…

"I was about to gaze the moon. Alas, there's no moon inside…" He sighs.

"If I had my favored sword, you wouldn't be standing before me, Elsa. The range of this blade is shorter than _Monohoshizao_."

…

He's a monster.

"Damn it!" She curses.

?

All of a sudden, she changes her target.

!

She's targeting Emilia!

"Not so fast, vampire."

Elsa quickly dodges to her right.

Three flimsy blades stuck at where she was standing.

"These swords… What are they?"

A horrified voice came from the woman.

?

For the first time, fear has appeared on Elsa's face.

YOROKOBE bastard steps forward to the spotlight.

"Black Keys. It is very effective against the likes of you."

The man has six swords on his hands.

Three on the left, and three on the right.

He holds them by his fingers.

What a bizarre sword wielding…

I would never imagine to wield six swords at once…

?

What is a Black Key in the first place?

"Dammit!" Elsa curses again.

She quickly makes a dash to the exit.

YOROKOBE bastard throws the three blades in his left arm.

[Clang, clang]

But one sword manages to pierce her left arm.

!

Fire starts to burn her flesh where the sword was plunged.

The woman shrieks.

The man in white robe forms a sadistic smirk.

…

Despite her pain, the assassin makes her exit.

I'm surrounded by monsters…

"Yet another satisfying expression. The face of her despair against my Black Keys, it's exquisite!" The bastard proclaims.

…

"Oi, Emilia. Why did you associate yourself with this guy?" Felt whispers to Emilia.

"I had no idea that he was this kind of person…" The silver haired girl responds with a sweat drop.

Meanwhile, Sasaki slowly sheathes the sword he's been using.

"Here it is, Rom-dono. As I promised, not a single scratch on the blade." He claims.

The tanned man simply sighs.

"But you still need to clean up the mess." The giant man says.

The samurai simply smiles at his remark.

"Told ya' Sasaki can handle it." Robin says nonchalantly.

…

"What's the matter, Subaru-kun? Did that metia of yours tell that Elsa will come back?" He asks in taunting manner.

"No. Not really…" I respond.

The brunette closes his eyes.

"You know, Subaru-kun… You may fool Felt-chan and Old Man Rom with that cell phone, but you can't fool Sasaki and me. We already knew what a cell phone is…"

!

"You-you knew…?"

He opens his eyes and grins.

"Still, I got to hand it to you. You got brain and guts. You try to trick people from other world with something you got on your hand. That's something worth to be praised."

...

"Unfortunately, Sasaki and I are here. If we weren't here, you might get away with it." He snickers.

…

"Who are you people? What are you doing here in this world?"

The handsome brunette shakes his head.

"Sadly, I can't answer that. Since, I have no idea how I got here." He answers.

…

Did he answered in rhyme on purpose?

"WHAT…!?"

?

All of a sudden, Felt yelled.

"What's going on?" I muse.

"It is better for you to come with me. You are a candidate to the throne." YOROKOBE bastard says to the blond girl.

"NO WAY! I'm not going to participate in that stupid election!" She replies.

"Um, Felt-chan… I'm a part of the election." The silver haired girl says in dejected tone.

"Huh? So that means you're stupid too." The blond girl nonchalantly responds.

Emilia-tan startles from her remark.

…

What?

Whose Emilia-tan, you asked?

I nicknamed the silver haired girl as 'Emilia-tan'.

Her name is Emilia, right?

"That's so mean, Felt-chan!"

"Stop calling me 'Felt-chan'!"

The two girls argue.

It's like watching two elementary school girls fight…

"How can I persuade the young lady to come with me?"

While the two girls argue, the YOROKOBE bastard quietly made his way to Old Man Rom.

"I don't know. Nevertheless, you can't force the girl to be a priestess candidate if she refused." The tanned man claims.

"I'll have to object that statement. Every candidate is necessary for the election to commence whether the candidates are willing or not." The bastard retorts.

"Your opinion and mine do not matter. It is Felt's opinion that really matters." The giant man claims.

The man in white smirks.

"You are correct."

…

Meanwhile, Sasaki is already absent from the scene.

He's probably outside, gazing at the moon.

As for Robin—

[Yawn]

…

He's lazing around by the wall.

"Felt-dono." The YOROKOBE bastard calls out to her.

"What is it now, bastard? I'm not going to be your stupid candidate." She replies with narrow eyes.

"What can I do to dissuade your decision?"

"Nothing. You can't change my mind. I don't plan to be a stupid candidate."

…

I change my gaze to Emilia-tan.

She's currently being the middle person for the two of them.

…

Emilia-tan is a candidate to something…

If Felt refuses to join this election, that means Emilia have better chance of winning.

"Just do it, Felt-chan."

!

All of a sudden, Robin joins the fray.

"What the— Oi, Robin! You want me to be a King?" The blond girl asks him.

At her statement, the brunette man startles.

"OH NO! If that were to happen, Lugnica is going to be a lying pile of ashes!" He exaggerates.

"No, it won't!" The blond girl argues.

"Yes, it will! A new rule will be enforced! Every stupidity will be punished with Felt's super combination!" Robin adds.

"WHAT…!? I'm not going to make that kind of rule!"

"Prove it." The brunette says with a smirk.

…

He's good…

He's been playing Felt from the beginning.

"Alright! I'll show it to you!" The blond girl has taken his bait.

She turns her attention to YOROKOBE bastard.

…

Come to think of it, I've forgotten his real name…

"Sign me in, YOROKOBE bastard. I'll show that Robin that I won't turn Lugnica into a burning pile of ashes." Felt says to him.

"YOROKOBE SHOUJO! Your wish shall be granted!"

…

Forget it…

He is YOROKOBE bastard.

"What's your name in the first place? I can't keep calling you YOROKOBE bastard."

"It's Kotomine Kirei." He replies with a smirk.

…

"Um, Kirei-san? Can I go now?" Emilia decides to ask.

"Hmm…? Of course. I have no reason to keep you here." He replies.

"Thank you Kirei-san, for helping me."

The bastard smirks.

"It is my pleasure, Emilia-sama."

…

So, what will happen now?

?

!

"Wait!" I call out to the silver haired girl.

She was about to leave the scene.

"Hmm…?" She turns to face me.

"Can I have your name?"

I already knew her name.

But I want to make it official.

"Do I know you?" She tilts her head.

…

"No. No, you don't…"

She muses to herself.

Then, she smiles.

"My name is Emilia."

…

It totally worth the hassle.

This smile is just what I wanted.

"I'm Natsuki Subaru."

#Chapter End#

* * *

[Author's note]

I know... I know...

It's a bad habit of mine to make two author's note in one chapter.

Anyways, don't worry about 'Dragon Ball'.

It's just a joke I want to include.

Like Robin said, it is not a Dragon Ball.

It is a Dragon Jewel.

It does not grant any wishes.

Anyways, if you were wondering why Sephiroth lost to Sasaki, it is stated in Subaru's monologue.

Sephiroth was playing around.

Though from my opinion, Sephiroth's sword skills cannot match Sasaki's.

In terms of swordsmanship, Sasaki trumps everyone in Fate Verse.

Saber won against him in UBW because of his blade being dented from earlier clashes.

Nevertheless, if Sephiroth was serious, no one over there can stop him.

This is Sephiroth we're talking about.

And he is never serious.

Guys, witty reviews and jokes are welcomed!

Maybe I can come up with ideas.

When 'Loggin In' make a joke about dragon ball, I thought to myself:

"Hey, how about making this a sub-plot?"

Anyways, since my laptop broke down, I can only post this once a week.

I had to borrow a laptop from my sis (shame on me, I know)

Sorry I had to break my promise about posting everyday...

That's all for now!

Thanks for reading!

I really appreciate it!


	2. Chapter 01

[Disclaimer]

I totally forgot about this!

So, here it is:

Fate Stay Night and Fate Extra belongs to Type Moon company and Re:Zero belongs to Tappei Nagatsuki.

I don't own any of the characters in this story with exception of Emijah.

The characters involved belong to their respective series.

I only own the character interactions and the strange plot.

* * *

Chapter 01: Rancorous experience

(Natsuki Subaru's point of view)

It has been a day since that incident in the loot house.

Where am I you asked?

…

I'm in—

"Subaru-kun, this mapo is freakishly hot!" A brunette man known as Robin Hood claims as he eats his food.

…

Kotomine Manor.

Currently, I am one of the honored guests in this noble house.

Since I warned Felt's party about Elsa's intention, Kirei decides to thank my effort.

Yeah, I call him by his name now.

But he's still a YOROKOBE bastard…

Every time I had a misfortune he will say, 'YOROKOBE SHOUNEN!'

…

I swear, this guy just enjoy harassing me…

Old Man Rom, Robin, and Sasaki are also invited.

Nevertheless, Old Man Rom decides not to come along…

He said he needs to mind the loot house.

So, it's just Felt, Robin, Sasaki and me.

Apparently, Kirei is a high ranking noble in this country.

He's a knight.

What happened to Emilia-tan, you ask?

She returned to her own turf according to Kirei.

Each candidate has her own territory.

Emilia is under Margrave Roswaal's protection.

…

I wanted to tag along…

But I am just a stranger to her…

"Try some, Subaru-kun! It's hellishly hot! But it's delicious!" Robin brings me back to reality.

He's handing a bubbling plate of mapo tofu.

…

"No thanks… I'll pass."

"What's with your face, Subaru-kun? Every time you saw my face, you'll cringe."

!

"No, no, no, no! It's just your imagination! Hahaha…!" I laugh to divert his attention.

"You can't fool me, Subaru-kun."

…

"You're right. I don't like you." I come out with the truth.

The brunette sighs.

"Let me guess; you're jealous because I'm way more handsome than you."

…

"Wrong…? Huh… That's the first time my deduction didn't hit bull's eye." He muses.

…

"So, what makes you dislike me, Subaru-kun?" He asks me with a gentle smile.

…

There's no way I'm telling this guy…

"Excuse me."

I walk away from the dining table.

* * *

/~A few minutes later~/

* * *

This mansion is freakishly large!

I always know that nobles have large residence.

But this one really surpasses my expectation!

…

So, where am I?

Embarrassingly, I got lost while getting away from Robin…

"Oya…?"

?

That's a familiar voice.

"Fancy meeting you here, Subaru-kun…" Sasaki, in all his glory, greets me.

"Nice to meet you too, Sasaki-san." I reply to his greeting.

He smirks.

"As much as I want to chat, I need to go to the preparation room. Kirei-dono has summoned me."

?

"He's summoning you? What for…?"

"I have no idea." The samurai replies.

…

"Can I tag along?"

The man with ponytail nods.

"I see no problem with that."

* * *

/~At the meeting~/

* * *

We arrived at the so-called preparation room.

I inspect the new environment.

…

Seems more like a court…

"Yo, Sasaki…! You're late." Robin greets his partner nonchalantly.

The Japanese samurai smirks at his greeting.

"Unfortunately, I got lost on my way here." He claims.

Aside from us, Kirei is also present.

He's reading some kind of report.

"Good. Both of you are here." He turns his attention to us.

Suddenly, he raises his eyebrow.

"Natsuki, what are you doing here? I don't recall summoning you." He remarks.

"Is there a problem if I'm here?"

The tall man muses.

"Not at all…"

He clears his throat.

"As for you two—" He turns his attention to the two men.

"Would you like to become knights?"

?

Say what…?

"Huh…?" Robin responds to his offer.

"I am offering you a chance of a lifetime. Would you like to join our rank of knights?" Kirei restates his offer.

The brunette man yawns.

"No thanks. Being a knight is just not my thing." He answers.

As for Sasaki—

"I don't have anything else to do. Perhaps I should indulge myself in what Saber has gone through. How do I become a knight?"

…

Who's Saber?

The YOROKOBE bastard smirks.

"To be knight, first you will start off as a squire. You will serve under me until you prove yourself worthy of knighthood."

Robin simply yawns at his explanation.

"Boring~" He remarks.

The bastard smirks again.

"Perhaps I should reconstruct my statement. Instead of becoming a knight for my sake, how about becoming a knight for Felt?"

?

""Huh…?"" Both Robin and I respond.

"I wasn't offering this for my sake in the first place. Haven't you heard? Each candidate has their own camp to support them. Felt is the newest candidate in this election so her camp isn't fully established. I can offer my support to her. However, my support alone wouldn't be enough to ensure her victory."

…

Does that mean that Roswaal guy is helping Emilia with her campaign?

"So, what do you say?"

The brunette man stares blankly at the YOROKOBE knight.

"Why are you helping Felt-chan?" Robin asks.

The man in question smirks again.

"I'm doing this for my own benefit. Should the candidate I supported win, my position in this country will be secured."

…

"Figures… Well, for Felt-chan's sake, I'll become a knight." The brunette man declares.

"But first, you'll have to start by being a squire." Kirei interjects.

"Whatever…" Robin replies lazily.

Sasaki was smirking the whole time.

"Good. Now please sign here. I will recommend your names to the Council." Kirei places two pieces of contracts on the table.

…

"Where do I sign?"

At my remark, Kirei raises his eyebrow.

"What are you talking about, Natsuki?"

"I want to become a squire too."

He shakes his head.

"Unfortunately, I cannot approve of that."

?

"I only take people that won my attention. Regrettably, you are not one of them." He responds with a smirk.

…

You bastard…

* * *

/~Nighttime~/

* * *

Star gazing.

That's the only thing I can do for now.

…

This is so boring…

While the sight was amazing, I have no idea what I'm doing in this world.

I have _Return by Death_.

So, what?

The girl I liked doesn't even know me.

I saved her from being assassinated but she doesn't even remember that.

Now, I'm stuck with a living Japanese legend, and the infamous Prince of Thief.

Oh, let's not forget the other Japanese guy who somehow is a knight in this new world.

"Oi…"

?

"Felt…?" I turn to face the red eyed blond girl.

…

Right now, she's wearing a yellow dress…

"Bu-"

"Bu…?" She tilts her head.

"BUHAHAHA…! That doesn't suit you at all!"

!

[EXPLOSION ~ in my mind only]

Felt's super combo!

The advanced form of Felt's combo…!

It is executed by striking powerful punches, multiple times at the victim's lower torso.

Extremely effective against ridiculously annoying people!

* * *

/~After the silly combination~/

* * *

"So, what's your problem?"

The blond girl nonchalantly asks after beating the crap out of me.

…

"It's nothing." I reply to her.

The girl stares blankly at me.

"Your name is Subaru, isn't it? That's one weird name." She comments.

"Hey. I don't choose my own name. And don't ridicule my name. You don't even know what it means."

The girl shrugs.

"I'm not ridiculing your name. It's just… It sounds similar to Shirou."

?

What part of my name has any similarity to 'Shirou'?

Maybe some part of the kanji but-

Do people here use the same writing system?

Just now, I saw the report that Kirei read.

It was written in a language I can't read…

"Say, where did you come from?" The blond girl suddenly asks.

"Huh? I'm from Japan."

She tilts her head.

"Come to think of it, I've never asked Shirou where he came from…" She ponders to herself.

…

"I've been wondering. Who is this 'Shirou' you guys keep mentioning?"

For the first time after I met her, she smiles radiantly.

It's a genuine smile, almost comparable to Emilia's.

"A family..." She responds.

…

"So, where's the guy? I haven't seen him yet."

At my remark, her mood becomes sour.

"He had to leave…" She sighs.

…

"Why?"

"Shut up already. It's none of your business." She replies.

…

I gaze at the sky.

"Oi, Subaru. I heard you tried to become a knight." Felt suddenly says.

…

"That Kotomine shot you down, didn't he? Why would you want to be a knight in the first place?"

…

"Because that would be cool…"

The girl narrows her eyes.

"That's one stupid reason. To me, knights are stupid. They act all courteous and stuffs but they don't actually mean it." She comments.

"That's your opinion. From where I came, knights are the coolest bunch of people. Knights are heroes."

"Heroes my ass… If they are heroes, why didn't they help out during the plague?" She retorts.

?

"What plague?"

The girl tilts her head.

"What do you mean, 'what plague'? It's the 'plague'. Everyone here knows about the 'plague'. It's only over recently."

…

"Sorry. I just arrived in this world a few days ago. So, I don't know much about it."

The blond girl tilts her head again.

"What do you mean 'this world'?"

She inspects me from top to bottom.

Suddenly, she stammers.

"Wait a minute… Same clothing fashion... Almost similar name pronunciation… Maybe you and Shirou came from the same country!"

?

"Shirou had that same outfit before he left. You must be his countryman." Felt concludes.

…

"You lost me there…"

"I'm saying that you and Shirou might come from the same place! Your outfit is the proof!" She claims.

…

So, there are other Japanese in this world aside from Kirei, Sasaki-san, and me…

Robin probably came from my world since he knew about my cell phone.

…

Wait a minute…

He's supposed to be a mythical archer.

Even if he does exist, he should be in the Middle Age in Europe.

How did he know about cell phones!?

And he claimed even Sasaki knew about cell phones!

What is going on here!?

"Oi…"

!

The red eyed girl is looking at me with blank face.

"Why do you keep spacing out?" She asks.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking about stuffs. Hahaha…!"

She let out a sigh.

"Whatever…"

…

"Say, Felt. Why are you wearing a dress?"

!

The girl glares at me vehemently.

"I won't ridicule how you look again! It's just… You were always in that thief outfit so it's kinda weird to see you in a different outfit."

She raises her eyebrow.

"Why do you sound like you have known me for a long time?"

!

"Did I sound like that? Hahaha…!"

I laugh a little to distract her.

The girl shrugs.

Apparently, her anger has subsided for now.

"Since I got myself into this stupid election, I have to act like a proper lady." She replies tiredly.

"In which turns out to be disastrous...!"

A voice I despised joins the fray.

The owner of the voice, a brunette man with green eyes is smirking at us.

"I heard you kicked the teacher out of the class." He says with a toothy grin.

"Shut up, Robin. You were the one who challenged me to do this." Felt responds to him.

"I guess no ethic teachers can match the might of Felt-chan." He comments.

"Stop adding –chan to my name!" She retorts.

…

I'm getting out of here.

"Wait a sec, Subaru-kun."

…

"You still haven't answered my question. Why did you dislike me?" The Prince of Thief asks me.

…

"I just feel like it. We just don't get along."

He raises his eyebrow.

"That's a half ass answer." The brunette man comments on my remark.

"Huh…? You actually got beef with Robin? But you guys rarely talk, much less fight." Felt joins the fray.

…

"I just don't like him. That's all."

The two of them exchange glance.

"Hey, Subaru… I don't like Robin because he's better than me in everything I do. But the real reason I dislike him was because he kept rubbing his victory in my face. People don't start disliking others without a reason." The blond girl states her opinion.

…

"Let it go, Felt-chan. Subaru-kun can do what he wants." Robin suddenly says.

…

"Anyways Subaru-kun, don't take it to heart what Kotomine said this evening. Knights are lame in general. I am only becoming a knight for personal gain. But that doesn't mean I like being one."

…

"Wait… You, a knight…?" Felt says while looking at him funny.

"Don't start." The brunette man replies.

"Bu-"

…

"I'll be going." I say to the two of them.

The duo resumes their shenanigans, ignoring my absence.

* * *

/~along the corridor~/

* * *

I walk along the dimly lighted corridor.

…

Somehow I feel like I'm in a fantasy medieval world.

…

Wait a minute…

I am in one!

…

…

But it's not as exciting as it sounds…

Now, what?

"Oya…?"

?

Oh, it's Sasaki.

"Subaru-dono, what are you doing here?" He greets me.

…

"I'm just taking a tour."

The samurai nods sagely.

"So, what are you doing here?" I ask him back.

The man looks startled.

"Well, I got lost."

…

?

"You got lost?"

Funny, I don't remember that Sasaki from the history has difficulty with directions.

"My previous experience guarding the gate has dulled my sense of direction. Now, every wall looks like a gate for me to guard." He states.

?

What gate?

"Could you kindly show me the way to the courtyard? I would love to spend some time gazing at the moon." He suddenly says.

"Sure. Why not? I got time."

* * *

/~at the courtyard~/

* * *

We arrive at the courtyard.

It didn't take longer than ten minutes.

At least, according to my cell phone…

"Finally, some fresh air..." Sasaki strides to the open space.

…

"Hey, Sasaki-san..."

"Hmm…? Is there anything I can help you?" He turns to face me.

…

"Can you teach me your sword skills?"

The man has a startled look.

"That's a sudden request." He recomposes himself.

"I don't see a problem. But, can you handle my training?" He smirks at me.

…

From what I learn, the Ganryu style focuses on swift cuts.

"I think I can." I reply to him.

The man sighs.

"It's been awhile since I last taught someone. I might get a little rusty." He states.

"Nah… You beat Sephiroth in a fair fight. There's no way someone like that can be rusty."

Though Sephiroth was just playing around…

The said character was based on Sasaki Kojirou himself.

But somehow they get along well…

"I beat who?" The samurai tilts his head.

Oh…

I forgot that this isn't the same timeline.

Sasaki didn't fight Sephiroth.

"Nothing... I was just spouting nonsense."

The samurai shrugs.

"Alright Subaru-dono... If you wish to train under me, you will need to bolster your physical strength first. Starting from tomorrow, make sure you are here by dawn." He suddenly says in serious manner.

I nod.

"Yes, Sasaki-san..."

The man shakes his head.

"Yare, yare… You got the phrase wrong, Subaru-dono. Its ' _shishou'_ …"

…

How could I forget that!?

And I call myself Japanese!

"YES SHISHOU!"

The man smiles softly at me.

…

Hey, this is starting to get interesting.

I'm a disciple of Sasaki Kojirou!

How many can claim that title!?

* * *

/~Next morning~/

* * *

Alright!

Time for some training!

It's five in the morning according to my phone.

It's pretty dark outside…

But I don't want to upset my _shishou_ by turning up late.

I climb down the Queen Size bed.

Let's go to the courtyard.

* * *

/~back to the courtyard~/

* * *

Sasaki is already there…

I think he slept here.

The man is currently swinging his wooden pole.

A ' _kata_ '…

It's a basic training for kendo practitioner.

Though, Sasaki practices real ' _kenjutsu_ '.

"Oya…? You're early Subaru-dono."

He stops in the middle of his ' _kata_ '.

"That's right, _shishou_! Natsuki Subaru always shows up early!"

I declare while pointing at my chest with my thumb.

The samurai smirks.

"Well, since you are early, we can start early."

He sheathes his wooden pole in sword sheathing manner.

[Gulp]

What kind of training is he going to give me?

"First, let us have a little walk."

…

?

"What?" I tilt my head.

* * *

/~somewhere in between the Capital and open road~/

* * *

I'm beat…

No, scratch that…

I'M EXHAUSTED!

I know his training would be harsh but—

This takes the cake!

10 km marathon, followed by a thousand _kata_ s…

After that, I have to run again.

BECAUSE HE'S CHASING ME WITH HIS WOODEN POLE!

!

"WAH...!"

[Swoosh]

I fell on my butt.

His attack barely hit my head.

"Alright, let's take a break."

The samurai wipes off his sweat.

…

But he wasn't running ragged…

?

He's watching me.

"Wha-what is…it, _shishou_?" I say while panting.

"Subaru-dono, mind if I ask your reason to learn under me…?"

…

"I just feel like it. Besides, wouldn't it cool to learn under someone like you?"

I recompose myself.

?

For some reason, Sasaki is displaying discontent face.

"I'm afraid there's nothing for me to teach you."

!

"Huh…!? But, you agreed to train me!" I stand up.

"Your motivation…"

The samurai turns his back on me.

"I don't like it." He finishes his sentence.

"What do you mean you don't like it!?"

The man sighs.

"I don't know if you know this, but I have trained over a hundred disciples." He claims.

…

I know that…

Sasaki Kojirou is a master swordsman in the feudal era.

He opened a dojo to pass down his Ganryu style.

"Your motivation is that of a spoiled noble child. I have met these kinds of people and they don't last long." He adds.

"But I'm different! I can prove it to you!"

He turns to face me.

For the first time since I met him, his face is sour.

"You aren't the first to claim that."

…

"You are not worthy to be my disciple. I am sorry, Subaru-dono."

…

The samurai walks away without sparking a glance at me.

…

What the hell…

I just got dumped by my _shishou_ during the first day of my training.

What is wrong with this world!?

* * *

/***At the manor***/

* * *

" _Yorokobe shounen.._."

The bastard, Kirei was waiting for me in front of the gate.

"Tch..." I click my tongue.

"So, it's in low tone now? Did you run out of energy to yell?" I taunt him.

The bastard simply smirks.

"I simply found that lower tone has more impact with your situation."

…

"Shut up. Get out of my way." I shove him away.

" _Yorokobe shounen.._. Your wish shall be granted."

A taunting smirk is present on his face.

"Tch..."

* * *

/~somewhere in the second floor veranda~/

* * *

I rest my arms on the railings.

…

What am I doing here?

What is my purpose in this world?

Am I a joke?

Everyone here is amazing.

What about me?

"Oi…"

?

I turn to face the voice owner.

Though, I already know her identity.

Only one girl would call out to me like that.

Felt, still in her dress, is looking at me with blank face.

"You know, you look pathetic." She comments.

…

"Came to ridicule me?"

She shakes her head.

The blond girl proceeds to rest her arms on the railings beside me.

…

"Huh… I didn't think you were able to reach the railings."

I thought she was shorter.

[Slap]

"Ouch!"

She slapped my wrist.

?

"Hey, that's a tone down from I used to get. What happened to you?"

Usually, she would beat the crap out of me.

The girl shrugs.

…

"Oi, Subaru."

?

"I think you don't belong here."

…

"You're telling me to go away? I'm hurt." I say jokingly.

…

She actually nods…

"Listen. I know how that feels. I don't feel like I belong here either." She suddenly adds.

I let out a sigh of relief.

She was just opening up to me.

…

Wait, why would she open up to me?

"So, let's run away! I want to go back to Old Man Rom." She says with brilliant smile.

…

"Are you asking me to elope with you?"

She makes a disgusted face.

"Hey, I'm just joking! Don't respond like it's the most disgusting thing you ever heard!"

"But it is the most nauseating thing I ever perceived." She averts her face with heedlessness expression.

"Don't respond with powerful words!"

"What powerful words?" She asks, still with indifferent expression.

…

I let out a sigh.

"Well, at least you're not bitter anymore." Felt suddenly says.

?

I move my face to see hers.

"You know what I'm talking about… Sasaki did discard you from being his disciple." She says with a blank face.

…

"If you can joke that means you're feeling a bit better now, right?" The red-eyed girl smiles at me.

…

"Hey Felt, I think you triggered my flag."

The girl tilts her head.

"What 'flag'?"

I chuckle.

"I'm just joking."

So, Felt has this kind of personality…

"Oi..."

I turn my attention to her.

"What do you say? Shall we leave this rotten place?" The blond girl asks.

…

I nod.

"Yeah... Let's get out of here."

* * *

/~later that night~/

* * *

I didn't have much with me when I arrived in this world.

Other than my cell phone and the stuffs I bought from a convenient store, I got nothing.

Basically, I'm good to go without packing anything.

As for Felt, she's already in her thief gear.

"What about Robin and Sasaki-san?"

The girl shrugs.

"They can take care of themselves. I'm not doing this farce anymore. Come to think of it, I ate Robin's bait a bit too easily." She sighs.

You did…

"Alright, let's get going." I declare.

"Wait!" Felt suddenly halt our operation.

"What's the problem?"

The blond girl ponders to herself.

"That Kotomine won't let me, a Priestess candidate to run away just like that. We can't let the guards see us."

…

She got a point.

"So, what's the plan?"

?

The red eyed girl inspects me from top to bottom.

"How fit are you?" She suddenly asks.

?

"I'm pretty fit if I say so myself."

Besides, I just ran like 10 km this morning.

I think…

"Is that a joke? You ran out of breath after running for less than a kilometer. I saw that when you were running with Sasaki."

[Glass break]

I didn't run that far…

The blond girl sighs.

"If I was alone, I can escape this place easily…" She mutters.

…

"Well, you can leave by yourself. I was never bounded to this place anyway."

The girl tilts her head.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I'm just a guest. I can leave whenever I want. It's you they wanted." I reveal the truth.

The girl palms her face.

"You're right… I'm the only caged bird in here."

All of a sudden, her red eyes widen.

"That's it! Subaru, act as a decoy."

?

"Huh?"

"Distract the guards while I escape. They aren't going to apprehend you, so you're the best decoy I can get." She claims.

…

Not a bad idea…

"When do we start?" I ask.

"Now…!"

?

"What?"

"I said 'now'! Go and distract the guards."

She pushes me outside the room.

…

"Wait a minute. This is my room! Why am I being forced out…!?"

"Duh… You're the decoy. I can't be seen." She says blankly.

I let out a sigh.

"Fine... Let's get this over with…"

I walk lazily along the corridor.

* * *

/~the escape attempt~/

* * *

The plan was successful!

…

Actually, we don't even need the plan…

The guards totally ignored my presence.

"That's odd… I thought they have more security." The blond girl ponders.

Currently, both of us are outside the manor.

"I guess you overestimate your own status."

The girl shrugs.

"Whatever… At least, I'm not inside that cramped out manor."

?

"Cramped out? The rooms were huge."

She narrows her eyes.

"Oi... It's metaphorical. I thought I was the one raised in slums." She sighs.

…

"I don't get it…"

[Thud]

"Ouch!"

That blond girl kicked my leg!

"What was that for…!?"

"What part of 'caged bird' that you don't understand? I can't move freely like I used to be." She claims.

…

"Sorry… I didn't catch the meaning earlier." I admit.

She let out another sigh.

"I'm going back to the loot house. Are you coming?" She asks.

…

"Nah... I want to go somewhere else."

The blond girl nods.

"Well, see you around!" She waves as she walks away.

I wave back at her.

Where am I going, you asked?

That's obvious.

I'm going after Emilia.

Mathers' territory, here I come!

#Chapter End#

* * *

[Author's note]

Well that's it for this week's chapter.

Experienced readers could guess that this is only the 'calm before the storm' chapter.

Anyways, next week chapter will feature Shirou's point of view.

Let's see what our hero wannabe does while Subaru is in the capital.

After that, we'll be back to Subaru.

As always, witty remarks and joke reviews are welcomed!

Believe me, I already incorporate some of your jokes in future chapters.

As I mentioned earlier, I already wrote this in advanced until I see the plot.

Well, the original five chapters literally have no plot.

I already revised it, so the plot will start kicking place by the fourth chapter.

Thanks for reading!


	3. EX Chapter 01

[Author's note]

To those who are new with me, this is actually a sequel.

The first story is called Fate -Return from Nothingness, Struggle in a New World.

You might want to read that first to understand what is going on.

* * *

EX Chapter 01: Behind the scene I

(Unknown's point of view)

"Hold it right there!" A man in dark red robe demands at me.

He wasn't alone…

Several men show up and circle me.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" The said man asks.

I smile softly at him.

Though I'm not sure if he can see through my hood…

"I'm here to see your leader."

The earlier man raises his eyebrow.

Unlike the other cultists, he has his hood off.

One cultist quietly walks to the blond man's side.

The said cultist whispers something to him.

"Lord Spite didn't say anything about expecting a guest." I heard his whisper.

"I know. Then, who is this guy? How did he find Estamir?" The first man replies to his companion.

I realize about this ability half a week ago.

For unknown reason, my sense of hearing is better.

I always know I have keen sense of sight and smell.

Now, even my sense of hearing has improved.

…

Maybe Angra Mainyu has something to do with this…

His avatar is that of a wolf.

I heard wolves have keen sense of smell and hearing.

…

Wait.

Does that make me a 'wolf'?

"I'm afraid we cannot allow you to do as you please. If you wish to live, leave this place at once." The ringleader declares.

…

"You're not going to kill me?"

A slip of tongue!

I didn't mean to ask that question!

"Kill you? Why would we kill you?" A random cultist from the group asks.

"We may look like a cult, but that doesn't make us cold hearted murderers." Another cultist speaks.

"We're not the Witch Cult! Don't compare us with them!" Another cultist yells angrily.

…

"Then, explain this: why were your fellow cultists in Melvir attempted to sacrifice the people of Capital?"

The men in red robes exchange glances with each other.

"That's preposterous! What is the meaning of this slander!?" The ringleader yells angrily.

…

"That is enough, Patrick."

A new voice enters the fray.

!

"Scorn…!"

I backpedal and prepare Kanshou and Bakuya in my head.

The man identical to Scorn raises his both of his hands.

"Now, now, Mister Emiya… I am not Scorn." He claims.

…

Now that I think of it, his voice is a bit different from Scorn's…

"Strife…?" I take a guess.

The man in red shakes his head.

"I'm not Strife either. I am Spite, former servant of Saruin!" He suddenly declares with excitement.

?

"Former…?"

The man nods.

"Unlike my fellow red mages, I don't feel compelled to worship Emijah. I am loyal to my original lord, Saruin." He claims.

…

"So, you're saying that you are not involved in that plot?"

The red mage nods.

"Let just say I'm not a fan of Emijah's resurrection. While his goal is similar to my previous lord, I simply don't like him." He states.

…

Similar goal…?

"I trust you came here to stop us from sacrificing people. Have no worries. We don't plan to sacrifice or kill anyone." He claims.

The man called Patrick strides forward.

"Wait a sec! Lord Spite, are you saying that our brethren in Melvir did attempted to kill innocent people!?"

Spite simply nods.

"Like I said, it's none of our business."

The blond man grits his teeth.

"You lied! You said this religion is peace loving!"

The red mage snorts.

"I never said such thing. You were the one who assumed it. And I trust you were born into this religion?"

The blond man lowers his head.

He forms fists with his hand.

"Yes. I was born in this city and was raised as part of this religion."

Spite quietly turns his back on us.

"I rest my case. If excuse me, I have a private life to attend."

The red mage disappears from our sight.

Patrick raises his head.

"Your name is Emiya? I believe I owe you… an apology."

His blond moustache twitches when he says it.

I guess he's not used to apologizing…

"As the Lord of this land, allow me to welcome you to Estamir."

?

"Wait… You're the boss?"

The blond man nods.

"I am in charge of this city. Though, I'm just inheriting the title from my late parents." He admits sheepishly.

I nod.

"By the by, I'm Patrick. Estamir's esteemed Landlord and you are?"

?

What's with the change of persona?

"I'm just… someone who wants to save people."

The blond man nods.

"From the conversation earlier, I conclude that you are a martyr wannabe. Since our fellow Emijah worshipers attempted such atrocity, you assumed that we might do the same."

He pauses to muse.

"Well then, I assure you that people of Estamir are different. We are… peaceful folk." He claims.

…

Another cultist steps forward and remove his hood.

"Lord Patrick is telling the truth. No one from Estamir ever exited the city for six hundred years. Only the Grand Mages were seen to come and leave our abode."

?

"You guys never left the city? What are you? Mole people…?"

My remark seems to offend them…

"I beg your pardon, Mister Emiya. Leaving the city is a taboo subject to us. Tales from our ancestors warned us of the surface world. Mabeasts, the Witch Cult, and the Jealous Witch… Staying here is much safer for our people." Patrick informs me.

…

I have many of questions but I'll settle with this one:

"Who are these 'Grand Mages'? Why are they the only ones leaving and reentering the city?"

The cultists exchange looks with each other.

"They are the ones who provide us with enlightenment. They are messengers from our lord, Emijah." One of them declares.

However, Patrick seems to disagree.

"Enough with that nonsense…! They are clearly a fraud!"

…

"Let us put this cult or religion stuff behind. For now, let us celebrate." The blond man suddenly declares.

?

"Mister Emiya, would you like to join us in our celebration?" He suddenly offers.

"Huh? That's a sudden move… Why would you invite me?"

"It is you who revealed the truth behind this fake religion. I always suspected something was amiss with the teachings. Your presence has enlightened us with the truth! At long last, Estamir is no longer blinded by falsehood! This is a day of celebration!" The landlord declares again.

…

"Um… No thanks. I have… places to go."

"Oh, but I insist! You must join us!"

* * *

/~during the celebration~/

* * *

And so, I got wrapped up in this…

Currently, I'm being surrounded by people of Estamir.

As Patrick declared, they conducted a festival.

"Have a drink, mate." One of the revelers offers me a drink.

"No thanks…"

"Come on. Indulge yourself, hero!"

!

He forces the wooden mug to my hand.

…

He is looking at me expectantly.

Here goes nothing…

I rarely drink alcohol.

Though my part time job with Neko-san gave me some experience to deal with wine tasting.

[Gulp]

?

It's not wine…

"It's grape juice, freshly taken from the orchard." He grins at me.

"I'm guessing it came from your orchard."

"Darn right, young un'! It's the best produce this town can come up with!" He declares proudly.

…

Actually, I might be older than you…

I turn my attention to the surrounding.

[Rowdy chatting]

[Mugs clinking]

[Indistinct chattering]

[Jolly laughter]

[Terrible singing]

…

I smile at the noisy mob.

It's hard to believe that these people are related to the ones in Melvir…

I don't know if they are blood related but they were in the same cult.

…

Was I wrong to deem all of them are evil?

Did I make a mistake back then?

I…I killed more than a thousand people…

What if… they were just being used?

What if they didn't know that they were killing the people on the surface?

What if they were controlled by magic?

…

[A little girl's crying]

?

I walk slowly towards the crying girl.

"Hey there..."

The girl slowly turns to me.

Her hands are preventing me from seeing her face.

"What happened?"

The girl shakes her head while still sobbing.

"Where's your mother?"

The girl shakes her head.

Ah, I see…

She lost her mother.

"Can I help?" I smile softly at her.

The blond girl slowly opens her eyes.

Her eyes were red.

…

They remind me of Illya…

She has ruby red eyes as well.

I offer my hand to the little girl.

She slowly takes my hand.

…

No wonder kids are easy to kidnap…

They trust strangers almost too easily…

I don't have bad intention but…

What am I complaining about…?

"My name is Shirou Emiya. What's your name?"

The girl sobs a little.

"My name…is Eve."

…

She's around Illya's age if I'm not mistaken.

I believe Illya was ten…?

…

I smile softly at the girl.

"Let's go find your mother."

* * *

/***Scene break***/

* * *

(Shirou Emiya's point of view)

"Excuse me; have you seen the mother of this child?"

The man I questioned inspects the girl.

"I haven't seen this kid around here before… Where did you come from kid?"

Unlike from before, her face is now stoic.

?

Wait, what?

"I don't know…" She simply replies.

…

Now that I think of it, her crying seems a little bit off…

There were no tears…

"Sorry man, I don't know her mother. I don't think she's from around here." He shrugs.

…

"Okay, thanks. Sorry for bothering you." I bow at the man.

He simply smiles.

"Speaking of which, you don't look from around here too." He inspects me from top to bottom.

"Hmm… White hair, tanned skin, golden eyes… Wait a minute… You're the honored guest!"

I shake my head.

"Nah… It was nothing. I don't believe I deserve such welcoming."

The man nods.

"A humble one, I like it. Nice seeing you, mister hero."

…

The man bows to me before leaving.

"Mister Hero, huh…?"

I don't think I deserve that title too…

I've killed people…

I am no longer an Ally of Justice.

I'm just… an ally to myself…

?

The girl suddenly pulls my cloak.

"What is it?" I ask her.

"We'd better move."

?

All of a sudden, she pulls my arm towards a certain direction.

"Hey, what's the rush!?"

She's not that strong in the first place.

She's just a ten years old girl.

I was letting myself being pulled.

?

I think her golden lock of hair moves in strange manner…

"Something bad is coming! We need to get away from it!" She tells me as she rushes.

?

What is she talking about…?

* * *

/***Scene break***/

* * *

Two men are watching the people from a far.

"I want to join them too…" One of them complains.

"Shut up. Do you job." His partner responds.

They are guards.

The guards were stationed there for the day.

"Isn't today supposed to be a celebration? Why are we guarding this place? No one is going to come anyways." The first guard sighs.

"It is our duty. We can't abandon our post. We swore upon our lord when we took this job." The second guard replies.

"That lord is a fraud, remember? Lord Patrick says so." The first guard retorts.

The second guard simply ignores him.

"He's right, you know?"

A foreign voice startles the guards.

The two guards draw their weapons and point them at the newcomer.

[Splat]

Nevertheless, they were overwhelmed by the newcomer.

They were pierced by barbed spears.

"Small fries…" The man snorts.

His bloody red eyes glance downward.

"So this is the place we have to torn apart? What is Jeanne thinking? This is child's play!" The black haired man laughs.

Another figure shows up.

It is a girl with pink hair, wearing a frilly dress.

However, she was not a normal girl.

She has horns and a tail.

"You'd think they'd love my singing, Setanta…?" The girl asks.

The man in scaly armour snorts.

"Don't call me by that name. I am a new 'me' now. I go by the name _Athraim_ Cu Chulainn."

"Altered Hound of Chulainn, huh?" The girl muses.

The man grins.

"Looks to me like a bunch of blissful merrymakers. Their Grand Mages aren't around, are they Elizabeth?"

"I don't see them or smell any of them. Jeanne told me that one of the Grand Mages is dead. He's probably killed by a Servant. I heard the Noble Phantasm was Gae Bolg."

The man in scaly armour smirks.

"So, my ' _solas'_ counterpart is here! I look forward to see him!"

The girl in frilly dress shakes her head.

"You have to finish your 'sweeping' job first. Jeanne is going to throw a fit if we don't finish them all by midnight."

The red-eyed man sighs.

"Yeah… yeah… Dragon's protocols…" He retorts lazily.

The pink haired girl summons a halberd from thin air.

The said halberd is equipped with a microphone.

"Well, let's get going! I got a concert of death to perform!"

* * *

/***Scene break***/

* * *

(Shirou Emiya's point of view)

The two of us escape from the rowdy festivities.

The blond stoic girl strides forward with me in the tow.

…

I pull away my hand.

The girl turns to face me blankly.

"Why did you pull away your hand?" She asks.

…

"Who are you?"

The girl tilts her head, still with blank expression.

"Didn't I tell you earlier? My name is Eve."

…

"I'm not asking for your name. I'm asking for your identity. You are not the helpless girl I thought you were. I'll ask again, who are you?"

Her red eyes stare blankly at me.

We resume our glaring contest for quite a while.

Her blank face finally breaks, and some expression is present.

"I-I don't know… I have no idea how I got here. The only thing I remember is my name." The blond girl admits.

Her face appears to be melancholic…

…

I smile softly at her.

"Hey…" I call out to her.

The girl reluctantly meets my gaze.

"You're not a good actor. So, I can conclude that you weren't lying about not knowing yourself."

The red-eyed girl tilts her head.

"Just like you, I was brought here against my own will. I also had forgotten half of my memories. I'm recovering them as we speak."

The girl muses to herself.

…

"You're not a normal ten years old girl, aren't you?"

Eve nods.

"I am…not a normal girl. That far I can tell. I do believe that my actual age is ten. But my mental doesn't coincide with a normal ten years old." She claims.

I nod, signifying my acknowledgement.

"I see… What else can you tell about yourself?"

She muses again.

"I-I don't… belong here. This is… a different world. I can't discern the reason but I feel that something is missing." She informs me.

…

That's the same feeling I got when I was at the Karsten manor…

I kneel down to her height level.

"I think you are similar to me in more ways than I imagine." I smile at her.

The girl blankly tilts her head.

"You are suffering amnesia. I don't know how that works, but when I arrived in this world, I forgot about most of my true identity with exception of my name. You are showing the same symptoms as me. Perhaps I may offer you my help?"

Eve tilts her head again.

"You are an odd person, Emiya-san. I thought you were going to leave me because I tried to lie." She says with blank face.

I shake my head.

"Nah… I don't leave people in need. So, why did you specifically go for me instead of asking the locals for help?"

The girl ponders to herself.

"I don't know… I just feel like you're my best hope to return home."

…

I smile at her.

"I won't claim that I can return you home but I can try."

A radiant beam slowly creeps to her face.

"Thank you, Emiya-san." She says with sunny smile.

…

This smile suits her better than that gloomy blank face.

"So, why did you say 'something bad is going to happen'?"

The girl shakes her head.

"I was trying to get out of this place. It's been a week since my…arrival and I can't get out. The locals are friendly and the kids my age are very hyperactive. Nevertheless, I want to go home. I figure that by tricking you, I might be able to escape this strange town."

I nod.

"You are very clever, you know that? But I think you need to polish your acting. I am a dense person so you manage to trick me with the first impression. However, you didn't follow up your acting while we were searching for your parents. I manage to see through your ruse because of that."

The girl nods.

"I understand."

"Well… Since we settled these misunderstanding, let's head out. My goal here has been achieved."

[EXPLOSION]

!

"What the-"

[Woman yelling]

[Battle cry intensifies]

[Multiple explosions]

[Random wailing in despair]

…

"Eve, go hide yourself. I'll go and see what's going on." I instruct the girl.

She nods hesitantly.

Since the two of us are far away from the source of calamity, I'll have to run my way back to the city square.

"Trace On!"

A single line of Magic Circuits flares to life in my mind.

I apply Reinforcement to my legs.

Green lines appear on my limbs.

I dash towards the source of catastrophe.

!

"This is…"

The revelers from before is no longer in sight.

There were only corpses and ruined cityscape.

"SUNRAY…!"

!

I know that voice!

It's Patrick!

I rush towards the origin of his voice.

[SPLAT]

…

When I arrived, Patrick is no longer in human shape…

He is…mutilated beyond compare…

And his murderer is grinning at his handy work.

"Sunray…? What kind of spell is that? Is it some kind of light magic? Jeanne did say that these guys use different magic system from the people of this world or ours. I didn't expect their magic to be this pathetic." The man in scaly armor says with lack of concern.

He pulls out his 'claws' from Patrick's corpse.

…

Wait a minute…

 _Cosaint Na Coinchenn_

 _Armour_ _fully made from bones of the dead Coinchenn._

Coinchenn…?

Isn't that—?

"Hmm…? There's still a survivor? How troublesome…" The red eyed man yawns.

A barbed spear appears in his grasps.

[Heart thumping]

There's no mistaking it…

That is Gae Bolg…albeit a different version…

The spear before me has more potent blood lust than the original Gae Bolg.

"Sorry mate, it's just not your day. Now, die."

He points his spear at me.

A familiar situation, a familiar weapon, and a familiar voice…

…

However—

"Trace on!"

Two lines of Magic Circuits flash to existence.

Kanshou and Bakuya make their way to my grasps.

[CLANG]

I block his nonchalant attack.

I am no longer the helpless boy…!

"Hmm…? What's this?"

His tone sounds a bit surprised.

"Noble Phantasms…? Are you a Servant…?" A grin appears on his face.

[CLANG]

A simple flick from his wrist forces me to back away.

He's strong!

?

 _Gae Bolg: Curruid Coinchenn_

 _Instead of using only the bones of Coinchenn, in this spear consists the mixture of essence for both monsters._

 _The bones of Coinchenn are soaked in Curruid's blood, enhancing the bloodlust of its curse._

 _Now, the Curse of Reversed Causality cannot be negated by luck._

…

An unknown rank Noble Phantasm…

I can read it but there's little chance I can trace it.

The armor is an A-rank Noble Phantasm but his weapon is…

"Oi…!"

?

"Stop looking at my spear!" He chuckles.

…

"I'd never thought I'll meet another Servant in different faction. Now that I have the chance, shall we dance?"

His grin becomes more prominent.

 **[Insert Soundtrack ~ Fate/ Unlimited Code – Stranger]**

The distance between us is around seven meters.

However, his agility would allow him to cover this distance in a blink of an eye.

"Ready…?"

[Heart thumping]

!

[Clang]

It was a simple jab with a single arm.

I parry it away with Kanshou.

I could see his grin up close.

!

[Clank, clank]

Instead of using his spear, he uses the 'claw' in his free arm.

Each finger is half-a-meter long blades.

I have to backpedal away to escape his range.

"Come on! You can do better than that!"

[CLANK]

"Guh…!"

It's another simple swing from my opponent.

Utilizing the length of his spear, he swings the shaft to crush me.

This man is stronger than Wilhelm!

I don't know why…but Mind's Eye is telling me to get away from him as quickly as I can.

[CLANG]

I force the shaft away with all my strength.

The grin on his face never falters.

[Heart thumping]

!

I bend my body immediately.

His jab missed my head by a hair distance.

"You're good!"

!

[THUD]

A powerful roundhouse kick sends me flying.

[Thud]

I quickly scramble to my feet as soon as I land.

My opponent simply smirks at my pathetic form.

He is beyond me…

He can kill me at any time.

There's nothing I can do to oppose him.

Unlike the opponents I have fought before, this man is unreachable to me.

His strength, his agility, and his skills

There's nothing I can hope to compare…

…

Unless…

[Glass break]

I discard Kanshou and Bakuya.

"Trace on…"

All twenty seven circuits flare to life.

A barbed spear appears in my grasp.

"What the—who the hell are you?"

Wary is present in his tone.

 _Gae Bolg_

It is a weapon that I used before to slaughter the cultists of Melvir.

Generally speaking, my Gae Bolg is still inferior to his Gae Bolg.

Nevertheless, the skills of the original Cu Chulainn should allow me to match him temporarily.

I cannot hope to win against him in a fair fight.

Using my Reality Marble would also be a waste.

 _Protection against Arrows_

It is a blessing to the Irish warrior that prevents any projectile from hitting him.

Unlimited Blade Works can grant me unlimited arrows.

However, it can never harm him.

Even with Gae Bolg, I cannot defeat him.

I just need an opening.

I must find an escape route!

[Heart thumping]

' _Cu Chulainn'_ warn me of the incoming attack.

[Clang]

With a flick of my wrist, I deflect the jab.

The man's grin is no longer present.

[CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG]

We trade blows at speed beyond my usual capabilities.

 _Tracing_

The ability that is unique to me, my alternate selves and my future counterparts.

It allows us to discern a weapon, gleam the capabilities of that weapon, and even reproduce the said bladed weapon.

But the most notable ability is Tracing allows us to reproduce the skills behind the weapon.

Gae Bolg allows me to reproduce Cu Chulainn's combat prowess along with his other combat skills.

[CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG]

"Guh…"

But I can't keep it much longer…

Tracing Gae Bolg is taxing to me.

Even with Tohsaka's support, my circuits are straining.

[CLANG]

[Glass break]

"Gah…!"

[Thud]

The last blow sends me flying to a wall.

The traced Gae Bolg didn't last long…

"Pathetic…" The man mutters.

…

"Here I thought my ' _solas_ ' counterpart is around. So, it's a fake." He snorts.

"A weakling and pride-less trash, isn't you? You have no pride in your weapons." He adds.

…

I stand up.

"Damn straight. I have no pride."

The man raises his eyebrow.

"Unlike you who took pride in killing, I have none. I'd rather toss that pride away and feed it to a dog."

My statement seems to rile him up.

"A dog, you say?" His red eyes flare in strange manner.

…

Yes, I am riling him up on purpose.

Against the Barbed Thorn of Death, I stand little to no chance.

His Gae Bolg is more potent than the original Gae Bolg.

I don't believe in the concept of luck…

"I meant what I said, Cu Chulainn."

"Well then, shall I feed your corpse to a dog?"

He takes his stance.

 _The Soaring Skies of Death_

I'll put my chance in this one!

"I am the bone of my sword."

Twenty seven circuits once again flare to life.

* * *

/***Scene break***/

* * *

The blond girl by the name Eve is hiding inside an empty building.

"Emiya-san, what is taking you so long?" She mutters.

She fears for the worst.

There is a possibility that he is dead.

Nevertheless, she wishes to see him alive.

He was her only chance to survive in this weird world.

"A child…?"

A man's voice startles the red eyed girl.

The newcomer is man with white hair and azure blue eyes.

His blue overcoat flutters as he approaches the girl.

Slicking his hair back, he turns to the source of commotion.

"What a waste of time… He is making me do foolish errands again." He snorts.

"Um…" The blond girl gathers her courage to speak.

The azure eyed man turns to face her.

His eyes were cold, unsympathetic.

"Now, now, Vergil... That is no way to treat a lady."

Another man shows up.

This man wears black overcoat.

His silver long hair forces the girl to gape in amazement.

His partner simply snorts.

"Why are we still taking part in this farce…? That _man_ has no need to support Emijah anymore." Vergil mutters.

The silver haired man chuckles at his remark.

"We are not here to break a plot but rather making it entertaining." The long haired man says his piece.

"Enough with that 'plot' twist…!"

[Crash]

Vergil punches a random wall, destroying it.

The blond girl shuts her mouth.

All of a sudden, crimson light permeates the air.

"Hmm… The match is over. I'll go and save him." The silver haired man says nonchalantly.

A black wing appears behind his back.

"Take care of the child, Vergil. I believe that is an easy job for you."

"WHAT…!?"

The man in blue draws his blade, Yamato.

[Clang]

The silver haired man simply blocks Vergil's attack with his own weapon, Masamune.

"Who do you think I am, Sephiroth? A child caretaker…?"

The man named Sephiroth smirks.

"You whined in every task you were given. I'd never thought that a son of the legendary knight Sparda would be this whiny."

[Ringing]

Their blades start to screech.

[Clang, clang, clang]

They trade several blows before jumping away from each other.

"I can humor you, just this once." Sephiroth smirks at him.

The silver haired man readies his stance.

However, the white haired man has no intention to continue.

"Tch… This is nonsense."

The son of Sparda sheathes his weapon.

Sephiroth snorts.

"Here I thought I was going to have fun."

[Wing flapping]

He flicks his sword and flies away.

Eve was quiet the whole time.

She was confused by the event unfolding before her eyes.

"Ara…? What's this? More audience…?"

A horned pink haired girl shows up.

Vergil spares her a glance before snorting.

"Hey you…!"

The white haired man ignores her.

"Stop ignoring me!"

[Sound wave]

[Crash]

 _Dragon's Roar_

That is the Noble Phantasm of Elizabeth Bathory.

A shout from her can easily disintegrate her enemies.

Nonetheless, her opponent is not her standard fodder.

[Clang]

Despite looking and acting childish, Elizabeth qualifies as a Servant.

She successfully blocks an ethereal blade from Vergil.

"Why you… YOU JERK! No one attack an idol while she sings!"

The man in question is rubbing his temple.

"Why am I being forced to deal with this bunch…?"

Not wanting to deal with Elizabeth, he attempts to escape.

" _Bring the girl to me._ "

Yet, something commands him to take along the blond girl.

Vergil grits his teeth.

"As you wish…"

A powerful force binds him against his will.

Vergil quietly scoops the girl into his arms.

"Where do you think you're going…!?"

[Sound wave]

Elizabeth throws another roar towards him.

"Tch…"

In a blink of an eye, he vanishes from Elizabeth's sight.

"Ara…?"

She observes her surroundings.

"Where did he go…?" She muses.

After mulling for a while, she stomps her feet.

"GAH…! I hate that guy! I'll gut him the next time I see him!"

* * *

/***Scene break***/

* * *

"You bastard…" _Athraim_ Cu Chulainn mutters.

His Noble Phantasm was blocked.

Nonetheless, his opponent is spent.

Shirou Emiya's body is roughly injured.

Even with Rho Aias, the spear managed to tear a good chunk of his body.

[Swords screeching]

A strange sight was shown.

Blades are stitching his wounds.

However, Shirou's consciousness was not present.

His eyes were open and he is standing on both feet.

Yet, he is not awake.

His body is trying to keep him alive.

"Tch... I enjoy fighting a good opponent but you? I feel nothing."

He prepares his claws.

He has no need for his spear to deal the finishing blow.

All of a sudden, a man with a single black wing stands before them.

"Hmm…? Who the hell are you?"

The silver haired man simply smirks.

"Your new opponent…"

A green orb appears on his palm.

"Cura…"

The green orb transform into green aura and seeps into the crippled fighter's body.

The swords work faster and his bleedings are slowing down.

"Hmm…? It didn't fully heal him as I expected… Gae Bolg's curse truly is terrifying."

The man muses.

Shirou flops down to the ground as his wounds no longer bleed.

However, his condition is far from stable.

"I need to get him a proper healer." The silver haired man muses.

[Clang]

The green eyed man simply deflects an attack from Cu Chulainn.

"Hmm…?" The man in scaly armor backpedals.

Sephiroth nonchalantly flicks his sword.

"Ah… Finally, a worthy opponent...!" The Irishman says in glee.

He grasps his spear with both arms.

"I am expecting much from you, Cu Chulainn."

The silver haired man readies his stance.

"Mind telling your name?" The Irishman asks.

"Oh… Where are my manners? I am Sephiroth."

 **[Insert Soundtrack ~ Final Fantasy 7 Advent Children – One-Winged Angel]**

[CLANG]

Their weapons meet; a three-meter o'dachi against a two and half meter spear.

[Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang]

They employ several light blows to test each other's skills.

[CLANG]

Once again, their weapons interlock with each other.

"You're decent! You're exceptionally worthy! I sense a large pride from your blade!" _Athraim_ Cu Chulainn says.

Sephiroth simply smirks.

The silver haired man pushes his opponent away.

"!"

Unfortunately for him, _Athraim_ Cu Chulainn is more agile than he initially thought.

In a blink of an eye, he is behind Sephiroth.

[CLANG]

The green eyed man blocks the Irishman's latest attempt.

One winged man retracts his wing as it is no longer needed.

[Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang]

They exchange blows as they move.

The man in scaly armor performs a sweep with his spear.

Sephiroth simply leaps to avoid it.

Just as the Irishman hoped, his opponent leaped.

He thrusts his spear upward multiple times.

[Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang]

Even in the air, the silver haired man deflects _Athraim_ 's attack effortlessly.

"Hmm…?" The Irishman noticed that Sephiroth is higher than he initially was.

"To the promised land…"

The green eyed man dives down with his blade downward.

[CRASH]

 _Athraim_ was able to escape that attack easily.

However, their battlefield no longer has even footing.

It's not a problem for these combatants.

Both men show their grin and smirk.

[CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG]

They move with blinding speed, trading attacks.

Sephiroth lands on a stable footing.

His blade is raised to his eye level.

"Cut."

Once again, his signature technique is performed.

Athraim charges toward the silver haired man.

Three attacks are executed.

[Clang, clang, clang]

All of them meet their intended target.

Three more slashes, aiming at the lower abdomen, left ribcage and a horizontal blow greet _Athraim_ 's armor.

[Clang, clang, clang]

[Swoosh, CLANG]

The second last slash missed but the final slash was blocked by _Athraim_ with his spear.

Their weapons once again intertwine with each other.

"Interesting technique… But, that's not enough to dent my armor." He grins.

Sephiroth closes his eyes and replies with a smirk.

" _That is enough, Sephiroth._ "

The silver haired man frowns when he heard that voice.

Once again he had to abandon an interesting foe.

"I'm afraid our bout will have to end here." He informs his opponent.

[CLANG]

He forces _Athraim_ to back away with his strength.

"Hmm…? What is going on?" The Irishman raises his eyebrow.

The silver haired man jumps to Shirou's side.

"Unfortunately my Master has commanded me to stop." He informs his foe.

Nodding at his remark, _Athraim_ Cu Chulainn sighs.

"I know how that feels. Until we meet again, Sephiroth…"

Smirking one last time at his opponent, he turns his back.

[Wings flapping]

Sephiroth flies away with Shirou in the tow.

The Irishman simply grins at the sight.

"I'll find you and we'll settle the score later."

Unknown to both combatants, a red pendant shines beneath the rubbles.

* * *

/***Scene break***/

* * *

A horned pink haired girl approaches the Irishman in scaly armor.

"I'm so pissed!" The girl declares.

The Irishman raises his eyebrow.

"Hmm…? What's with you, Elizabeth?"

"That bastard…! That asshole! He dares to interrupt my performance!"

"What are you talking about…?" The red eyed man asks.

Her statement is getting more and more senseless to him.

"I'm talking about that jerk who intrudes during my recital! How rude…! Disturbing an idol while she sings…!"

Athraim simply averts his face since he couldn't understand what the dragon girl is spouting.

" _Athraim, Eli… How's Estamir?_ "

A voice echoes in their heads.

"Ooh… It was an amazing crowd, Jeanne! Except for that one guy who slipped under my fingers! That slick haired jerk!" The dragon girl complains as she bites her skirt.

"I found an interesting guy! Oh… I also saw a guy who can copy my ' _solas_ ' version of Gae Bolg." _Athraim_ reports his findings.

" _Is that so…? I was assured that my 'light' counterpart cannot enter this world due to her faith. However, it is a different story with other Servants._ "

"Does that mean I can meet my ' _solas_ ' counterpart?" _Athraim_ asks eagerly.

The internal voice giggles at his question.

" _Of course, my dear… He is not someone with similar restriction as the original Jeanne D'Arc._ "

The Irishman forms a grin.

"Great! Finally, I can kill him with my own hands."

" _Return to me, my warriors. We have much to prepare. With Emijah out of the way, we can prevent his return by killing all his followers. Satella's Cult is next._ "

The Irishman and the dragon girl vanish from the scene.

* * *

/***Scene break***/

* * *

"How bothersome…" A man in blue overcoat mutters.

Currently, he is surrounded by several men in red robe.

"It's an outsider! He must be one of them!" One of the robed men yells.

The men proceed to draw their weapons.

Several meters from the man in cerulean clothing, a blond girl is observing his situation.

The red eyed girl is sitting on a branch.

"Why did he bring me here…?" The girl ponders to herself.

"I knew Lord Patrick was wrong! This tragedy was a warning from our Lord, Emijah!" One of the men claims.

The men in robes begin muttering to each other.

The white haired man surrounded by the robed men simply raises his right arm.

"What is he doing?" One of the crowds asks.

"I have no reason to stay." The slick haired man declares.

[Finger click]

Hundreds of ethereal swords appear midair.

"What the—"

The blades rain upon the men in robes.

[Clang, clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang,clang]

Luckily, all of them were trained to at least defend themselves against such an attack.

While some of them were injured, none of them actually died from the attack.

"Where did he go…!?" One of them yells.

They were angry.

Their home was wrecked.

Their families were killed.

They want revenge against the attacker.

Nevertheless, the man in blue was no longer there.

His earlier action was to distract them.

"Lord Cornelio, we can't find him using our tracking spells." One of them informs the ringleader.

"Dammit!" A brunette man punches a tree.

The Estamirians were outside to escape from the slaughter.

Cornelio is the second in command for the underground kingdom of Estamir.

"We must not let them run free. The people of surface world will pay for their insolence!" The brunette lord declares.

All of a sudden, another man in red robe appears.

His robe has golden lining and some kind of symbols etched to it.

"Lord Strife…!" Cornelio and the rest of the men prostrate themselves before him.

"It appears that Estamir has fallen…" The newcomer muses.

"I am sorry, milord. It was an attack from the outsider." Cornelio reports the situation.

The red mage turns his back to him.

"It is divine punishment. Your people doubt our Lord, Emijah. Thus, the tragedy…"

The brunette man stands tall.

"I admit it is our error for doubting the Lord. Allow us to amend for our sin."

A smirk appears on Strife's face.

"Very well… To amend for your sins, raze the settlements nearby the Capital. Establish outposts for our religion."

""As your wish, Grand Mage…"" They say in a choir.

Once again, the people of Estamir embrace the Emijah cult.

* * *

/***Scene break***/

* * *

(Shirou Emiya's point of view)

I find myself sitting in a class.

"This is…"

I know this place...

This is my classroom.

…

Why am I here…?

"Yo, Emiya…! How're you doing…?"

A familiar voice…

I turn to face the newcomer.

?

"Shinji…?"

The boy with wavy hair snickers.

"I'm surprised you still remember me. Most people would just forget about me."

…

I remove myself from my chair.

"Shinji, what is this place…?"

The wavy haired boy turns his back to me.

"Beats me…" He simply says.

…

"Well, I just show up for no reason. Hakunon, do you want to say something?" He suddenly says.

?

"Hakunon…?" I change my glance.

!

A brunette girl with brown doe eyes is looking at me, in close proximity.

The girl steps back from me.

…

"You are…"

There's no mistaking it.

She's that maid.

"She wanted to see you, so I brought her here." Shinji says in his usual smug tone.

…

"Wait, what…? You brought her here…?"

The boy with wavy purple hair snickers.

"What…? You don't believe me."

…

I find that hard to believe…

The Shinji I know cannot use mage craft.

So, how can he bring her here…?

"Ah… I know what you're thinking. 'There's no way Shinji can use mage craft', isn't it?"

I nod to answer his question.

The boy with wavy hair sighs.

"You're right… I can't use mage craft. But, I can lead people to class 2C."

?

I turn to the brunette girl.

She simply waves at me while smiling.

…

I wave back at her with awkward smile.

Then, I turn to Shinji again.

His face shows melancholic expression.

…

"Shinji, what is going on…? Why are we here? Where exactly are we…?"

The Matou heir shrugs.

"Take a guess, you idiot. We're dead."

!

Bu-but…

"Don't worry. I actually survive that Grail war. You and Tohsaka saved me, remember? I died eight year after that."

…

"What happened…?"

The wavy haired boy turns to the window.

The setting is sunset.

"Armageddon…"

!

"An Armageddon triggered by the Mage Association. I survived long enough to learn that though."

…

"Apparently, they were trying to open a portal to a new world since our world's mana is drying up. You know mages… Since Zelretch refuse to lend them a hand, they came up with their own initiative. Well, the results—"

Shinji opens his arm wide.

"—is this... Everybody dies."

…

"Now, the reason I'm here is to bring this girl for you. Man… And you call me the playboy?"

…

"Alright, Emiya… I'm off. Enjoy your time alone."

The boy walks away from me and disappear.

…

The girl is still smiling at me…

"The afterlife is weird, Shirou-san. You can teleport and pop out everywhere." The girl opens the conversation.

…

"So, why did you need Shinji to bring you here?"

The girl pouts at my remark.

"I'm not part of 2C. Archer, you idiot…"

?

She walks silently passes me, towards the window.

"How are Crusch-sama and the others…?"

…

"They were doing fine before I left."

The girl giggles at my remark.

"A loner until the end… Did you meet Rin on your way here?"

!

"To-Tohsaka…? She's here…?"

The girl shakes her head.

"Rin is not dead yet. I'm just asking if you meet Rin before you're here."

…

"I saw her once. She said that she is looking for a way to reach Lugnica."

But Shinji said our world is destroyed…

Does that mean everyone I know is dead…?

Fuji-nee, Sakura, Issei, Mitsuzuri…

"I see…" The brunette girl lowers her head.

?

"I really envy Rin. She gets to be with you." She suddenly says.

…

"What do you mean? I'm here now so doesn't that mean she can't be with me…?"

The girl raises her head.

Her eyes are filled with tears.

"Idiot… Why do you want to die so much…? You're still alive." She says with a smile.

?

"This is a limbo. I can only meet you here. I have to thank Shinji for bringing me here." She wipes her tears.

…

"What is this place…?"

"That's a good question!"

Another girl enters the scene.

She has short bob purple hair and her blue eyes are sparkling as she stares directly into my eyes.

"Um… Can I help you?"

The girl gives me a 'thumb up'.

"Sure you can! Go punch god in the face for giving us shitty fate!"

?

I turn to Hakunon.

The girl covers her mouth.

"That's Nakamura Yuri. She's the boss around here."

…

"Huh…?"

"Well, what are you waiting for…? Get out of here!"

!

[THUD]

[Air draft]

"Eh…?"

…

SHE KICKED ME OUT FROM THE WINDOW!

* * *

/***Scene break***/

* * *

(Shirou Emiya's point of view)

"WAH…!" I sit up immediately.

!

My body throbs from my sudden movement.

"Kuh…" I grunt.

"Rem, Rem… Our guest suddenly wakes up and yells."

"Nee-san, Nee-san… He's still in pain."

?

Two girls in maid outfit are hugging each other.

One of them has pink hair while the other one has blue.

…

"Where am I?"

The girl with pink hair releases her twin and steps forward.

"You are in Roswaal Manor, my dear guest."

…

"What…?"

#Chapter End#

* * *

[Author's note]

EX chapters refer to External chapters.

The chapters are related to the main story but at the same time, it doesn't flow in the same timeline.

Most of the time, EX chapters are fillers, a side story with hints for future plot.

I put a rather subtle hint in here about who is Sephiroth's master.

Anyways, just because Shirou arrived earlier in Roswaal Manor doesn't mean he will get all the ladies.

So Rem fans, you can rest assure that Rem won't see Shirou as a lover.

I have a mini plot for Rem and Shirou.

Just wait a see.

Can you guess what I have in mind?

As always, allow me to thank you guys for spending time on my work.

I'm just an amateur author.

My plot can be a bit screwy and hard to comprehend.

I welcome witty remarks and reference jokes.

Criticism are welcomed as well.

An author who refuse to accept criticism can never be an author.

Now, to the next chapter!


	4. EX Chapter 02

[Author's note]

I'm feeling lucky.

Actually, I'm in a good mood today.

So, I decide to post two chapters at once.

This is Crusch's chapter.

* * *

EX Chapter 02: Suite D'une Histoire part I

Act 01: Knights

/Karsten Manor/

Crusch Karsten is mulling over her current standing.

She's currently sitting in her study, reading a report regarding the underground city of Melvir.

The affair with the Emijah Cultist had taken the lives of many of her men.

"Crusch-sama."

A flax haired young man in white knight robe calls out to her.

"What is it, Felix?"

The cat eared young man walks closer to her study.

"I suggest we postpone our agenda with 'you know what'. With the number of men we have right now, it is impossible for any of us to take on that 'thing'."

The green haired noblewoman ponders to herself.

"You are correct in a sense. Conversely if we do not take action quickly, we might lose track of 'that creature'."

"How about if we consider an alliance with a different camp?" The demi human suggests.

The amber-eyed young woman muses once more.

"That is a good idea. But, whom should we turn to…? Anastasia is not one to agree without a profit to her side."

The cat eared knight pauses to think.

"How about Priscilla's camp?"

The noblewoman shakes her head.

"She's too arrogant for her own sake. I don't know if I could handle her."

The flax haired young man muses again.

"Then, we have no choice but to turn to the Margrave."

[Door knocking]

"Come in."

An aged butler with a tall body stature enters the scene.

"Wilhelm, I presumed that you have heard us." The noblewoman concludes.

The blue-eyed ex knight nods.

"I'll have to object about the first proposal. The 'hunt' must be conducted on the promised date. Otherwise, it will escape." The man asserts his opinion.

The flax haired knight shakes his head.

"I guess I can't argue with that… But, we need more men for this 'mission'."

The noblewoman clasps her hand and places her elbows on her desk.

"I'll try to negotiate with Anastasia and Margrave Roswaal. Let us hope they would agree with our plan." She announces her intention.

Her two attendants nod as a sign of agreement to her decision.

"I wonder what Shirou-kyun is doing right now... It's been a week since he left the capital." The cat eared knight diverts their conversation.

"I believe Shirou-dono is doing fine. I heard the Rogue Reaper has been lurking around the Margrave's territory." The butler informs them.

The amber-eyed woman smiles at the thought.

"That's so typical of him."

"Ara…? Crusch-sama, did you miss him?" The cat eared knight decides to tease her.

The amber-eyed young woman stammers from his sudden statement.

"Huh? Well, I do miss his cooking." The woman retorts with a hint of blushing.

At her remark, the demi human's ears droop.

"I miss his cooking too..."

Meanwhile, the butler sweat drops at their antics.

"They only missed his cooking…" He thought to himself.

[Door knocking]

The three of them turn their attention to the door.

"Come in." The head of Karsten family announces to the newcomer.

A knight enters the room.

"Crusch-sama, we found two unconscious men somewhere in the underground city. We have taken them under our custody." The knight reports to her.

The noblewoman turns her attention to her two attendants.

"You'd think they're a part of the Cult?" She asks them.

The two nod.

"It is likely that they were survivors." The butler responds to her question.

"We should attend to them as fast as possible. Who knows what kind of scheme they might be planning now." Her right hand knight advises her.

Agreeing with their point, she stands up.

"Take me to the prisoners."

* * *

/***Scene Break***/

* * *

"Where am I?"

A man who looks like in his early twenties speaks to himself.

Currently, he is being held in a prison cell.

His amber eyes move wildly as he tries to comprehend his situation.

"I'm in a prison…" He concludes.

He sits down on a bench.

"How could this be possible? The last thing I remember is—"

Pain rushes to his chest.

A sore memory returns to him.

He recalls stabbing himself with his own spear.

"Kuh…" He grunts.

He starts heaving for air.

"Damn you…" He curses.

His black hair becomes dishevel.

"Are you that desperate for the Grail, Saber? You would go so far and even dishonor the chivalry code…"

[Door creaking]

Three silhouettes enter the scene.

"Who are you?" The amber-eyed man hisses to them.

A noblewoman in man's outfit steps forward.

"Greetings. I am Crusch Karsten, the current head of the Karsten family." The amber-eyed woman responds to his question.

The man averts his face out of rage.

He does not wish to talk to anyone right now.

"I am Felix Argyle. I am Crusch-sama's right hand knight."

At the cat eared knight's remark, the black haired man turns his glance up.

"A knight…?" He questions the demi human.

"That's right, _nya~._ I may not look like one but I am a knight."

He turns to the other occupant of the said room.

"I am Wilhelm Van Astrea. I am no knight. I am just a butler who serves under Crusch-sama." The aged man introduces himself.

The black haired man stares blankly at the blue-eyed butler.

He knows that the man 'was a knight'.

The aged man's demeanors, postures, and even his speech reflect a knight.

"What can I do for you?" The black haired man asks them.

The noblewoman steps forward once more.

"Tell us your name."

The amber-eyed man turns his head downward.

The three strangers wait for his answer.

"I am Diarmuid Ua Duibnhe. I am a former knight of Fianna."

The trio exchange glances.

"A knight of Fianna…? I've never heard of such name." Crusch Karsten states her opinion.

The amber-eyed man snorts.

"Of course you wouldn't know of me or the order of Fianna… We are nothing more but an old fragment of the past."

The green haired young woman muses to herself.

"Ah… I see. However, even in the past, the name Fianna does not exist."

Diarmuid stammers from her remark.

"Are you saying that we were that insignificant…?"

The young woman shakes her head.

"That is not the case."

The woman inspects the man from top to bottom.

All of a sudden, the man becomes alarmed.

"NO…! Don't look at me! You'll fall for me!"

The trio becomes confused by his action.

The room falls into deadly silence.

"Buh…"

One of them decides to break the stillness.

"Nyahahaha…!"

The cat eared knight breaks into laughter.

"What's with that…!? Crusch-sama won't fall for you at first sight…!"

The confused man turns to the said woman.

As her knight stated, she was unfazed.

"But how…?"

The woman covers her mouth.

"I know that you are a good looker but I'm not the type that can fall for a man that easily."

She was covering her smile.

"That's right. Besides, Crusch-sama already had a crush on someone."

"Eek…!"

The noblewoman yelps at that remark.

"Felix, you should refrain from making Crusch-sama unpleasant." The butler chastises the knight.

"Okay _nya~_ But, Crusch-sama..." The cat eared knight forms a smirk.

The young woman quickly steps backward with blushing face.

She is not used to being teased.

As for the amber-eyed man, he stares at his own hands.

"Could it be…?"

Diarmuid Ua Duibnhe has been reborn once more as a mortal.

His previous achievements, legends, and even curses are all gone.

His trusted swords and spears weren't there as well.

A smile creeps to his face.

Tears start rolling to his cheek.

"A miracle…"

He was given a chance once more…

The black haired man stands up.

The trio turns their attention to him.

"Crusch-sama, Felix-sama, Wilhelm-dono…" He addresses each one of them.

"Where am I?" He questions them.

Felix's ears twitch in catlike way.

"We're in the capital."

The black haired man raises his eyebrow.

"The capital…?"

"The capital of Lugnica." The butler answers him.

The former Servant muses to himself.

"I've never heard of such country…" He declares to them.

After exchanging glances with her attendant, the noblewoman nods.

"Did you come from a different reality?" She inquires.

The man tilts his head.

"What do you mean by that?"

The green haired woman clears her throat.

"There's a high chance that you were brought to this world by a strange power. This isn't the first time we heard such case. Your outfit is a proof of that."

The man inspects his own outfit.

It is true that his outfit is different from them.

"I see… So, that's what happened…" The man muses.

He was given another chance to live.

But in exchange, he was banished from his home world.

"Let me ask you another question." The amber-eyed woman suddenly says.

He turns to face the noble.

"Do you know anything regarding the Emijah Cult?"

Diarmuid raises his eyebrow.

He had never heard of such Cult.

"I'm afraid I have never heard of such name…" He claims to the noblewoman.

The woman stares at him blankly.

Then, a smile forms in her face.

"You are telling the truth."

The former knight of Fianna tilts his head.

"Very well… I shall welcome you as my guest instead of a prisoner. You have proven to be innocent." She announces.

The man becomes startled from her sudden decision.

"Huh…?"

"I can tell a lie from a single glance. No one can lie to me." The amber-eyed woman states her confidence in her ability.

Felix, the cat eared knight proceed to unchain the ex prisoner.

[Chain shackles]

"I—"

The amber-eyed man was speechless.

Never once in his life that anyone places such great trust in him.

Even Grainne has her doubts.

The man smiles to himself.

He has made his decision.

"I wish to serve under you."

That was his only wish.

All that he wanted was to serve under a fair lord.

A miracle is granting him his wish.

He always loathed his curse, the Love Spot.

Nevertheless,that charm is already gone.

Crusch Karsten steps forward to face him.

"That's a sudden choice. Nonetheless, I sense sincerity from you. Then, I ask you this: are you certain?"

The man nods.

"I am here for a reason."

He was brought here by a strange power as the green haired young woman stated.

He believes that 'this extraordinary force' had a task for him.

And he deems that he needs to serve under this woman.

She places her trust in him.

And he shall place his trust in her.

"Before we accept you into our camp, I wish to know your reasoning. Why would you offer to serve under Crusch-sama?" The cat eared knight asks.

The former knight smiles at him.

"I was moved by your trust in me. Before I was brought here, my former masters placed such disdain in my abilities and motives. Since Lady Crusch trusted my vague testimony, I wish to repay such trust in my own way."

"I see…" The flax haired young man nods to himself.

The noblewoman smiles at him.

"If you're that obstinate to serve me, then this is your first task: get some rest."

The black haired man raises his eyebrow.

"I do not know what kind of ordeal you had faced… Nevertheless, I am convinced that you are very tired from your journey. Wilhelm, can you lead him to a guest room?" The woman turns to the aged butler.

The aged ex knight bows.

"Come with me, Diarmuid-dono."

The former knight follows the butler with confusion in his mind.

* * *

/***Scene Break***/

* * *

"That's one of them." The head of Karsten family sighs.

"A knight from a different world… You'd think he came from the same world as Shirou…?"

Her right hand knight asks her.

"I don't know… Only time will tell. Let us attend to the other prisoner. Though, I suspect that this one is another stranger from a different world. His outfit is a bit strange according to the report."

The cat eared knight nods.

They move to the next cell.

As they expected, the man inside was awake.

The said man was wearing scaly armor almost like a dragon's scales.

His long white hair covers his face.

[Door creaking]

The prisoner turns his face to see them.

His steel grey eyes are questioning their presence.

"Greetings…" The noblewoman greets the man.

The man stands up.

"Greetings…" He trades his own greeting.

The noblewoman nods.

"I am Crusch Karsten, the master of this place. May I ask your name?"

The man nods.

"My name is Siegfried."

The amber-eyed woman nods.

"Siegfried… I'm going to cut into the chase: do you know anything regarding the Emijah Cult?"

The man raises his eyebrow.

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you're talking about."

The woman nods.

"Very well… Then, answer another question of mine; have your heard of the name 'Lugnica'?"

The man tilts his head.

"No…"

Nodding again, the woman closes her eyes.

"Where did you come from?"

The man shakes his head.

"I'm afraid I cannot answer that. There's too much obscurity in this conversation." He states his opinion.

The cat eared knight steps forward.

"Are you anxious…?"

The man stammers from the knight's appearance.

"Another… cat girl…?"

The flax haired knight tilts his head.

"Ara…? I thought I was wearing proper clothing this time around." Felix muses to himself.

The green haired woman covers her smile.

"Unfortunately Siegfried, Felix is a male."

Once again, the white haired man stammers.

"Ah-ah… I see… I guess not all cat people are females…" He mumbles to himself.

He recalled meeting a cat eared Archer in his previous event.

She was clearly a lioness instead of a cat…

But a lion is a cat.

"I understand your insecurity, Siegfried. Have no worries. We are not your enemies. From our conversation, I can conclude that you're not our enemy as well. You are merely a traveller. As an apology for imprisoning you, I shall house you as our guest until you recover from your fatigue." The noblewoman declares.

The white haired man muses to himself.

When he first arrived in this strange place, he recalled hearing a strange voice.

He knew he was dead.

In fact, he had died twice already.

Nonetheless, what he finds strange is his own body.

He could not sense any boons from his previous feats.

He is no longer invincible from any physical attack.

Fafnir's blood is no longer part of his body.

He also noticed that his trusted sword, Balmung was no longer in his possession.

With that, Siegfried concludes that he was reborn into a new world.

"You seem to have more questions. No matter… We will answer it once you have your rest. Felix, lead him to another guest room." The noblewoman commands the cat eared knight.

"As you wish, Crusch-sama…"

The flax haired young man turns to the white haired man.

"Follow me, Sieg-kyun."

The grey-eyed man stammers from his remark.

"Sieg-kyun…?"

* * *

/~The next day~/

* * *

[Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack]

Two men exchange blows with their wooden weapon.

An aged blue-eyed man in butler outfit is sparring against an amber-eyed young man in his early twenties.

The butler equips a single wooden sword as his weapon.

As for the young man, he wields two wooden swords.

The young man's style was nostalgic to the butler.

However, it was completely different at the same time.

Unlike the suicidal stance that his previous sparring mate favoured, this man was more to proper defence and aggression.

His speed, strength, and precision were better than the previous contender was.

Nevertheless, the aged butler was able to press the young man.

"What an amazing technique, Wilhelm-dono. Your swordsmanship is superb."

The ex knight smiles.

"You are not half bad yourself."

This fight reminds him of the previous young man.

Since their eyes were so similar, at the time, different, his nostalgia becomes imminent.

" _Nya~_ I thought Shirou-kyun was the only one capable to make Wilhelm smiles like that… I guess even Dia-kyun is as amazing as him." The cross-dresser comments on the event.

The former knight of Fianna sweat drops at the sight.

"Felix-sama, why are you wearing a dress?"

The cat eared young man, in a dress, forms cat paw gestures.

"Doesn't it suit me?"

His confusion becomes palpable.

But he wasn't the only one confused by Felix's bizarre fashion.

Siegfried, the former dragon slayer, now in a normal tunic, was watching the spar.

Since his armour no longer has any boon, he decides to discard it.

The same could be said to Diarmuid.

He abandoned his old outfit for the same white robe that Felix wore yesterday.

"I'll keep my opinion to myself." The black haired man declares his decision.

The flax haired young man tilts his head.

"Excuse me."

All of a sudden, the white haired man decides to speak.

"Can I request a spar with either of you? I feel restless without moving my sword arm."

"Siegfried, you are a swordsman?" Diarmuid inquires.

The grey eyed man nods.

"I was a warrior that fought for my own belief. However, after being brought into this world, I feel restless, uneasy… I don't know what am I supposed to do." The former dragon slayer retrieves a wooden sword from the gazebo.

The butler steps back to make way for the two men.

"At the very least, I could ease myself with a spar once in a while."

The white haired man grips the sword in two handed style.

Diarmuid responds by taking his favoured stance.

The two combatants eye each other.

Siegfried decides to take the initiative.

He charges forward.

[CLACK]

Diarmuid blocks the heavy blow with both swords.

"What a powerful blow…" The former Lancer muses.

While the blow wasn't as magnificent as Saber's attack, he does feel the pressure.

[Clack]

The amber-eyed man forces his opponent to back away.

[Clack, clack, clack, clack]

The two swordsmen exchange short blows.

Diarmuid was faster than Siegfried when dealing blows.

However, the white haired man effortlessly parries away his attacks.

[Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack]

Their fight becomes more aggressive.

Overhead slash is countered with a cross slash.

A double jab is countered by a simple sweep.

A slash to the head is blocked.

A feint to the left and redirect the attack to the upper torso was deflected.

[Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack]

From time to time, Siegfried wields his weapon in a single arm for quicker attacks.

His opponent is an agile one, preventing the former dragon slayer from utilizing his strength.

The white haired man enjoyed the spar despite not showing it on his face.

[CLACK, CLACK, CLACK]

After dealing three heavy blows to the dual wielder, Siegfried decides to end the spar.

He backpedals from the black haired man.

"That is enough." He declares.

The man has worked enough sweat for the day.

[Handclap]

Felix was surprised by their capabilities.

Both of them should be able to force Wilhelm to go serious.

The white haired man ignores the applause and silently returns the borrowed practice sword.

"You are an amazing swordsman, Diarmuid Ua Duibnhe." He praises his opponent.

The black haired man is sweating like rain.

He did undergoes two sparring sessions with two powerful men.

He returns his share of wooden swords to the gazebo.

"It was nothing, Siegfried." He smiles at his sparring mate.

The aged butler was impressed.

Both of them are very exceptional in their sword style.

He decides to step forward.

"Siegfried-dono."

The white haired man turns to him.

"Would you be interested to join our rank of knights? We could use your strength in our campaign."

The white haired man muses.

He was brought into this world with no purpose.

There is no prize to be won.

Nonetheless, there are still people to be saved.

"I know this is sudden but—"

"I accept."

The former dragon slayer cuts Wilhelm's speech.

By being a knight, he could easily reach out to those in need.

And he believes that Crusch Karsten is a good noble.

His short conversation with the young woman was enough to prove that.

"Are you certain…? Don't you wish to find your way home?" The blue-eyed butler inquires.

Siegfried shakes his head.

"I don't have any home. And I don't have any world to return to… This is my world now."

The former knight of Fianna nods to his new comrade.

"Then, we shall become brothers in arms."

The white haired man smiles.

"Yes, we shall."

The cat eared knight decides to walk in between them.

"Before you two start daydreaming, I need to inform you that you're still just guests to our home. You'll have to earn your title for knighthood."

The two nods.

"I understand, Felix-sama. Knights aren't just titles. We need to earn it." Diarmuid smiles at the cross dresser.

"Being a knight is not my goal. I simply wish for the citizen's wellbeing." Siegfried states his opinion.

"Ara…? That's an odd goal for someone who came from a different world."

He nods with a smile.

"I've been told that for thousands of time. Nevertheless, my only wish is for others welfare."

One man wishes to serve a lord to his best capabilities.

Another man wishes to serve the people.

Truly, both of these men are the best addition to Crusch camp.

That was the thought of Wilhelm Van Astrea.

* * *

/***Scene Break***/

* * *

The two former Servants are now equipped with their ideal weapons.

Diarmuid carries two steel swords and two spears of different length.

They are not his original weapons but they were close enough as a replacement.

The swords are both of the same length; both of them are one meter in length.

The first spear, strapped to his back, is almost two meters in span.

It was a replacement for Gae Dearg.

The second spear is much shorter than the first.

It's only a meter in measurement.

His choices were a mystery to the Karsten camp and Siegfried himself.

Though, the black haired man's true name; Diarmuid Ua Duibnhe, gave him enough clue to the former dragon slayer.

He is a proud warrior from Ireland.

As for Siegfried, he chooses a Zweihander.

It was longer than usual steel swords but not a strange sight to others.

The strength that he displayed against Diarmuid proves that Siegfried is a power fighter.

The two squires are tasked to accompany Wilhelm in his quest to exterminate the renegade Emijah cultists.

These cultists came from a different city.

The aged ex knight, still in his butler uniform, has his blade drawn.

The other knights also have their weapons unsheathed.

They know how erratic these cultists can be.

The said Cult is not as dangerous as the Witch Cult ever since the fall of Melvir.

Their known leaders; Scorn and Strife were absent.

Their arch priest; Tuman was killed in the last raid.

Nevertheless, they cannot be too careful.

Crusch and Felix are leading a different campaign against another faction of the Emijah Cult.

They learn their whereabouts from a reliable informant by the code name; Rogue Reaper.

"There they are…" The aged butler warns the rest of his party.

The men in red robes march across the forest.

"It's been a while since I had a witch hunt." Diarmuid muses to himself.

Siegfried simply observes the men in robes.

All of a sudden, the cultists stop moving.

"They have noticed us. ATTACK…!"

The butler charges towards the group of cultists.

The other knights and squires spring into action.

As expected from the strange cult, the cultists were armed with swords and spears.

Nonetheless, with Wilhelm and two ex-Servants in the fray, they stood no chance of survival.

* * *

/***Scene Break***/

* * *

Meanwhile, Crusch Karsten's party has already finished their raid.

" _Unya~_ Shirou-kyun is a good informant." The cat eared knight says to his master.

The amber eyed woman simply smiles at the thought.

"If only I can thank him personally." She muses.

"Crusch-sama…!"

One of her knight calls out to her.

"Is there something wrong?" She quickly attends to the said knight.

"We have found this." The man hands over a strange pendant to the noblewoman.

She fiddles with the pendant.

"What is this? A garnet…?"

While jewelry was never part of her concern, she does know how to differ a ruby and a garnet.

The said garnet pendant has a small cross sign on it.

"I think this is Hakunon's… I saw her carrying it all the time." Felix informs her.

The green haired woman becomes sad.

Hakunon is the name of the maid that died tragically during Scorn's invasion.

"Why is it here?" The noblewoman ponders.

She quickly shoves it into her pocket.

"Search every corner of this ruin! We don't want any survivors!" She commands her troops.

* * *

/~The following day~/

* * *

The two squires are having a spar.

[Clack, clack, clack, clack]

Instead of swords, Diarmuid uses wooden spears.

Unfazed by the black haired man's unique style, Siegfried continues to push the said man.

[Clack, clack, clack]

It was a short interval between them.

[Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack]

Both of them are sweating madly.

But neither of them wishes to give up.

Yesterday, Siegfried learned about the existence of the two Cults.

Their goals do not sit right with him.

The Witch Cult wishes to bring back the Jealous Witch, a being that despise the living unless they meet her preferences.

The Emijah cult wishes to bring back their lord, Emijah.

Emijah's true identity is not known, neither is his goal.

However, to bring back their lord, they need to sacrifice thousands of innocent lives.

Now, it's clear to the former dragon slayer.

He wishes to stop these cults.

[CLACK]

Their weapons interlock.

"That is enough."

A familiar voice commands them to stop.

The two backpedal and stand ready.

"I see that both of you are staying in shape."

The speaker was the aged butler.

The two of them bows.

"We believe it is better if we prepare for every possibility." The amber-eyed man responds to his superior.

The aged ex knight nods.

"Put away your practice weapons. You are needed in the common room."

The two men exchange glances.

* * *

/~At the common room~/

* * *

"I've brought them." Wilhelm informs his master.

The woman nods.

The two ex Servants exchange glances again.

Aside from them, a large number of men are gathering in the same room.

Most of them were seasoned knights.

"I decide to put my trust in your abilities." Crusch clasps her hand on the table.

She is sitting in the middle of the common room.

It was a room constructed to replace the ruined armoury from the last raid.

Beside her, Felix is standing with serious expression.

"Diarmuid, Siegfried, the two of you have displayed amazing combat prowess during your expedition with Wilhelm." The woman begins her speech.

"The two of you are young, yet your skills can easily rival Wilhelm's own combat expertise. Therefore, I have arrived to this conclusion." The woman closes her eyes.

"Would you aid us in our next campaign?"

The two squire exchange glances to each other.

"I know this sounds sudden. But we need all the men we could muster." She informs them.

The amber-eyed man smiles confidently.

"I would gladly offer my service, Crusch-sama. There is no greater honour than serving a lord that put her trust in me." The black haired squire bows.

The white haired man contemplates his decision.

"As much as I wanted to offer my aid, I wish to know the details behind this campaign."

The woman reveals a smile behind her clasping hands.

"Very well… You have the right to know." She states with the same smile.

After pausing for a second, the amber-eyed woman opens her mouth.

"We are going to subdue the White Whale."

* * *

/~After the meeting~/

* * *

The two squires are sitting in the barrack.

"The White Whale…" The white haired man muses.

He was told that this creature had been ravaging the kingdom for hundreds of years.

Many lives were lost during its rampage.

He instantly offers his assistance.

However, a feeling of uncertainty invades his very being.

What is he doing?

Why is he doing this?

Hasn't he done enough for his country a long time ago?

Why should he do the same thing all over again?

"Siegfried…?"

His new brother-in-arms calls out to him.

He turns to face the black haired squire.

"Is something wrong?" The amber-eyed man asks him.

The former dragon slayer simply averts his face.

"How are you doing that?"

That question surprises Diarmuid.

"How am I doing 'what'?"

The white haired man faces the former knight of Fianna.

"How can you easily pledge your life to a stranger? We only knew her for a few days. She is not evil, I can at least tell that… But still, how can you offer your strength to her without thinking further?"

The amber-eyed man smiles at his partner.

"I was surprised myself." He admits his inconsistency.

The black haired squire stands up.

"I thought I could never entrust myself under a noble again. Yet, I'm doing it again right now." He muses.

His statement confuses the former dragon slayer.

"You were a Servant, weren't you?" The ex Lancer asks him.

The white haired man reluctantly nods.

"Well, I was a Servant too…" The amber-eyed man closes his eyes.

Then, he opens his eyes with a strange glimmer.

"Can you remember how you died?"

The former Saber of the Black nods.

"I sacrificed myself to save a friend."

The black haired squire nods approvingly.

"I see… At least you were able to die a second time honourably."

His tone becomes melancholic.

"As for me, my Master forced me to kill myself."

Siegfried's eyes widen in shock.

"Why?"

Diarmuid sits down beside the white haired man.

"Maybe it's because I was incompetent…" He replies weakly.

The white haired man stares blankly at him.

"My Master doubted my abilities from the beginning of the Grail War. Despite his disdain towards me, I try to please him."

Siegfried remains silent to hear his tale.

"My sole wish was to serve my Master to the fullest. That is all."

The man pauses.

"Then, I met her, Servant Saber."

He pauses again.

"She was the pinnacle of knighthood. Her true identity is Arthur Pendragon."

At his remark, Siegfried connects the dots.

The Saber he faced in his war was Mordred, the Knight of Treachery.

Instead of a man, Mordred was a teenage girl.

It only makes sense if Arthur himself is a female.

"Nevertheless, Arthuria had soiled chivalry." The former Lancer says with scorn.

The former dragon slayer raises his eyebrow.

"In order to obtain the Grail, she resorted to trickery. Saber's Master forced my Master to sign a contract."

His companion simply averts his face.

He knew where this is going.

"That contract involved forcing me to kill myself in exchange for his survival." The ex knight of Fianna states bitterly.

"I'm sorry…"

That was the only thing Siegfried could say.

There's nothing more painful than being betrayed by your trusted master.

Nevertheless, the black haired squire simply smiles.

"It was regrettable… I can't finish my duel with Saber. But now, I have a new purpose."

The former Lancer stands up again.

"I decide to put my trust in this lord."

The white haired man stares at him, confused.

"I fail to understand that."

Diarmuid chuckles at his remark.

"It was a contradiction in my part. Supposedly, I would never serve another lord after being betrayed twice. However, I have the utmost trust in Crusch-sama."

Siegfried stares blankly at the floor.

"She believes in me."

That remark forces the white haired squire to face his partner.

"No one ever placed such trust in me. Not even my lover…" The amber-eyed man says in melancholic tone.

The standing squire faces the sitting squire.

"I said it before and I will say it again; I will pledge my life to Crusch Karsten, who placed great trust in my capabilities. She believes in my words, and I shall deem her words as my authority." Diarmuid Ua Duibnhe states with certainty.

The white haired squire smiles softly at his partner.

"I see… Then, I shall no longer hesitate."

The former dragon slayer stands up.

"I always wanted to save people. And I will continue to do so. I can't save every innocent life, but I will attempt to save as many as possible."

He turns to his partner.

"Can you help me with my goal, brother?"

The amber-eyed man nods with a smile.

"Protecting the innocent is part of chivalry. You shall have my support."

The two of them shakes hand.

From there on, their path is carved.

/##Act One - End##/

* * *

[Author's note]

We will return to Subaru in the next chapter.

I decide to post this chapter earlier because the following chapter requires some information to avoid confusion.

Yeah, I brought more characters into the story.

It's a bad habit of mine.

Anyways, if some of you think I'm biased to Crusch camp, you have no idea what I planned for the other camps.

Each camps have their special addition according to their affinities.

So far, the obvious one is Sasaki, Robin and Kirei in Felt's camp and Diarmuid and Siegfried in Crusch's camp.

You're going to be surprised at the other camps especially Priscilla.

And just in case, no it's not Gilgamesh.

I don't think Gilgamesh and Priscilla can get along well.

Exchanging mockery might be a running gag if I do bring Gil in.

Each camp has their own major arc.

The last arc features Karsten.

This arc features Felt's faction.

Anastasia has her own spin off in planing.

Of course, Emilia's camp is the most unique one.

I have derailed from canon so far that it's no longer has any connection to the original canon story line.

Let's just say, it is completely an original story line with similar lore and characters to Re:Zero.

My bad...

Without further ado, allow me to thank you guys for sticking with me.

I wish I can do better but this is the only thing I can offer.

Until next time.


	5. Chapter 02

Chapter 02: Satella's Beloved

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

"Subaru-kun, help me out with this crate!"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Subaru, go and put away those baskets."

"You got it, ma'am!"

"Subaru-kun, get rid of the rotten vegetables!"

"I'm on it!"

"Subaru, that's not the right box."

"Sorry! I'll get the right one."

What am I doing you ask?

Well, I'm helping out with a stall.

Why am I doing this?

Well—

"Subaru-kun, stop slacking!"

"I'm not slacking! I'm just getting a rest!"

"That's the other word for slacking! I'll have to cut down your payment."

"NO! I'll be obedient! Don't cut my salary!"

The blond haired woman in her early twenties sighs.

"Know your place, freeloader. If I don't rest, you have no right no slack. Even my aged mother can do better."

…

That's kinda…embarrassing…to be compared with an old woman.

"I'm not that old! I haven't reached fifty yet!" The mother, an older version of her shows up.

The blue-eyed young woman simply shakes her head.

"Whatever, mom…"

…

Mrs. Jelton and Miss Jelton, a pair of mother and daughter who kindly let me stay at their house.

After running away from Kotomine manor, I end up being homeless.

I forgot that I have no money…

I don't know the exact way to Mather's territory.

But from the way Kirei spoke, Mather's territory sounds far…

I can always try to trade my phone for money.

But I don't know where to find a dealer aside from Old Man Rom.

I don't want to embarrass myself by showing up after telling Felt that I have somewhere to go…

"Subaru-kun, stop daydreaming! Wash those tomatoes!"

"I hear you, Marina-san! Stop yelling at my ears!"

"If I don't yell, you wouldn't move your hands!"

The red haired young woman sighs.

"Honestly, I'd never thought **his** countrymen would be this lazy…" She mutters.

?

"Marina-san, who are you talking about…?"

The woman glares at me with her blue eyes.

"I'm talking about you, you lazy bum!"

"Eek…!"

The mother, Mrs. Myriam was giggling at our antics.

"Come to think of it, Subaru's clothing seems similar to that red hair boy, isn't he Marina?"

The woman inspects me from top to bottom.

"I noticed it earlier, Mother. But he doesn't act like **him** at all." The young woman complains.

?

"Of course they act differently! They are different person! Why are you nitpicking about that?" The mother responds.

"I don't know… That boy seems more polite than this one."

…

"Excuse me, Natsuki Subaru is here." I deadpan.

The women exchange glances.

"So, I've noticed." Marina deadpans as well.

…

I sense a yell incoming…

"DO YOUR JOB!"

"Eek…!"

* * *

/~after a day of hard work~/

* * *

"I'm beat!"

I flop myself on my bed.

Technically, it's a borrowed bed but I can live with this.

It's not a comfortable bed…

Well, beggars don't get to choose.

I flip my body to face the ceiling.

…

It's been six days since I've arrived in this world.

What is my purpose?

Why am I here…?

Unlike those other MCs, I have no special powers aside from _Return by Death_.

I don't have super strength to wield a gigantic sword or super agility to outrun a horse.

I don't know if I can use magic…

…

If I could, can I conjure a powerful spell…?

…

Maybe that's it!

I am a Magic type!

Physical prowess is not my specialty but rather magic!

Why didn't I think of this earlier…?

…

But shouldn't my power show up after those events…?

…

I sit up on the bed.

What am I doing here…?

[Window Clacking]

?

I glance towards the window.

…

I rub my eyes and glance at the window again.

…

!

"BUH…!"

* * *

/~after sputtering~/

* * *

"What do you want, Robin?"

The Prince of Thieves gives me his toothy grin.

"Well, I figure it would be more fun to follow you rather than attending Kotomine's boring lectures about ethics and knighthood."

…

"What about Sasaki-san?"

The brunette shakes his head.

"He's a diligent guy. He's been attending the classes with enthusiasm. I find that rather…unsettling…" The thief comments on Sasaki's eccentricity.

…

I see…

Sasaki Kojirou is someone with ambition.

Even in history, he was someone who strives for the betterment of his repertoire.

Someone like me…someone with short-sighted goal is not worthy to call him my _shishou_.

"Say, Subaru-kun. Why do you want to be a knight?" Robin suddenly asks.

…

"Mind your own business."

The brunette stares blankly at me.

"You're not going after that chick, are you?" He suddenly says.

?

"What 'chick'?"

The Prince of Thieves sits down on my bed.

"Well, of course I'm talking about that half elf girl."

…

"What about her…?"

The brunette man fiddles with the holes on his cloak.

"She's a half elf. Anyone with eyes can see her ears." He nonchalantly comments.

…

"I am going after her."

"What for…?" The brunette asks without looking at me.

…

"I-I don't know…"

The man in green immediately stares at me.

"Say what…?"

…

"I don't know… I just feel like I need to follow her."

Robin keeps staring at me blankly.

"I see… You're thinking with your dick."

!

That's—

The brunette stands up.

"Well Subaru-kun, it's not strange for a guy to follow his dick. So, I'm going to tell you—"

!

Robin suddenly walks closer.

His face… it's too close!

"GO GET HER!"

The Prince of Thieves declares this with open arms.

…

…

…

?

"Huh…?"

"I said; GO GET HER!" He says it again.

…

"I don't understand… I thought you were going to tell me something else."

The man in green flips his cloak.

"A man must search for his woman. If you think she's the one for you, then, go get her!" He declares while winking.

…

"You're… not that bad of a person…"

The brunette tilts his head.

"Huh? That's the first time anyone ever says that about me." He wipes his nose.

…

I guess I was jumping to conclusions.

When he 'killed' me in the fourth walkthrough, I quickly assume that he is a bad person.

But now that I think of it—

" _You don't want to die, do you…!?"_

If you hear it from his perspective, it sounds like a death threat…

Robin was protecting Felt, his family…

"Well… I need to go. See you later, Subaru-kun!"

!

"Huh? Wha—"

He's already outside when I turn around.

I quickly rush to the window.

I could see his silhouette jumping from roof to roof.

…

I rest my hands on the railing.

So that is Robin Hood…

From the children's tale, he is a thief of justice.

He will steal from the rich and distribute it among the poor.

I smile to myself.

"Real life legends… Not many people can experience it like me."

Maybe, just maybe, my purpose is to meet these people.

…

"I guess I should work harder! I need to save enough money to reach Emilia-tan!"

Like Robin said, I should go for it!

I'll go to that silver haired girl and make her fall in love with me.

Nothing is impossible!

If Robin Hood, Sasaki Kojirou, Sephiroth and Dragon Ball can appear in one place at the same time, nothing else is impossible!

Heck, I can return from dead, literally!

I lay my back on the bed.

I should rest.

"Tomorrow is a big day! I'm going to show Marina that I am a good worker!"

* * *

/~the next day (morning) ~/

* * *

…

I'm speechless…

So does the man before me.

The man is someone like me, a Japanese descent.

Unlike his usual clothing, he wears unkempt black shirt, dirty cargo pants (don't know where he got it), and a green bandana on his head.

"Fancy meeting you here, Natsuki…" He says with blank face.

…

"Oi Kirei, mind telling me what are you doing here…?"

The noble man smirks.

"I could ask the same thing to you."

…

"Sorry for the wait, Kirei-dono! Here's the fresh tofu." Marina hands over a crate to him.

For a woman, she is incredibly strong…

The Japanese man simply takes the topless crate and places it beside him.

"I believe the price is as usual…?" He asks.

The blond haired woman nods.

…

"Um, Marina-san… Who is this guy?"

"Our loyal customer; he's been buying tofu from us ever since my uncle is alive." She answers without looking at me.

The Japanese knight ignores my question and blankly pulls out a pouch.

"By the way Kirei-dono, you're buying less than usual. Usually, you would buy several crates and had a number of men to carry the tofu." The woman tries to strike a conversation as she receives the pouch.

The YOROKOBE bastard smirks.

"I am trying my new tofu recipe. Until I finalise it, I will keep experimenting."

…

"Oi... Are you a knight or are you a cook…?"

"I am both." The man deadpans.

…

"Well then, I shall part away." Kirei proceeds to lift the crate.

"Thank you for your patronage." Marina bows to him.

The man turns his back against the stall and walks away.

…

"Oi, YOROKOBE bastard…!"

He turns to face me.

"You're not going to ask me anything…?"

The knight gives me a smirk.

"What kind of question do you expect me to ask?"

…

"How about 'what are you doing here' or 'why did you run away from the mansion'?"

The bastard simply shakes his head.

"I have no obligation to ask you those stupid questions. What you do is none of my business."

…

He… pisses me off…

" _Yorokobe shounen_ … Your desire shall be realised!"

"SHUT UP!"

I really hate that phrase…

The Japanese man gives me one last smirk before leaving.

…

[Clank]

!

I fall to the ground.

…

THAT HURTS!

"THAT HURTS…! Marina-san, why did you hit me with a frying pan…!?"

The blond haired woman glares at me with fuming face.

"That's a noble, you idiot! I don't know where you come from, but you can get yourself a capital punishment for insulting a noble!"

!

That Kirei could have me beheaded?

"And you're calling him a 'bastard'…!? He's our steadfast patron!"

"Eek…!"

Forget capital punishment!

This woman is going to kill me!

* * *

/~after being punished thoroughly~/

* * *

"Ugh…"

That Marina really is a merciless woman…

"Are you okay, Nii-chan? That girl did beat you with a frying pan."

A gangster-like man asks me.

That's right.

I'm back to where I 'spawn'.

The fruit seller removes a crate as he speaks.

"Not really… No wonder she's still single. She's ruthless." I add my two cents.

The man chuckles at my remark.

"You'll be surprised. She's actually pretty popular around here."

!

That hot headed woman…!?

"Are you kidding me…!? She beats people with a frying pan!"

"You're the only guy I know got beaten with that thing. Hahaha…!" The man laughs as he puts down a crate.

…

"Well slacker, stop slacking and get back to work! Otherwise, I'll be the front seat for your 'punishment'." The man says.

!

He's right!

Marina is going to beat me again if I don't get back to work!

I stand up and walk hastily.

The Jelton's stall isn't that far from the fruit seller.

?

I think I saw something from the alley.

…

Maybe I should check it out?

…

"Nah… That's a dead flag. Everyone knows it."

A normal guy like me notices something intriguing from a place with less people such as an alley?

That's usually a flag for a supernatural event.

Most of the time, the normal guy will end up dead.

I'm not that stupid.

I've played many Visual Novels to guess where this is going.

…

On the other hand, this could be a start.

It's a different story if the normal guy that notices the abnormality is the main character.

He will stumble something outstanding, whether it is a girl fighting a monster or a secret plotting to overthrow the government.

…

I got nothing to lose.

Why don't I check it out?

!

All of a sudden, someone bumps into me.

"Hey, watch where you're going!"

…

But you're the one who bumps into me…

The guy who collided with me wears a strange hood.

He is taller than most people around the market.

From the collision, I could feel the muscles beneath that cloth.

…

Forget about him…

I need to check the alley.

I approach the said pathway with care.

[Heart thumping]

…

The tension is enough to make my heart skips a beat.

I poke my head from behind a wall.

…

Nothing so far…

There's no sign of life.

Was it my imagination?

"Oi, you…"

[Heart thumping]

A deep voice permeates my eardrums.

"What are you doing here?" He asks me.

…

I'm too scared to face back…

I know this kind of voice.

Once I turn to face him, I'll die…

"Don't you know? This is a place for outlaws, not wimps like you."

[Heart thumping]

"Well sorry kid, you pick a bad day to stroll in the alley."

[Heart thumping]

Why am I doing this?

I know it's a death flag, yet I still do it anyway.

Don't you remember, Subaru?

Death is painful!

Death is scary!

You may have _Return by Death_ but that doesn't change the fact that death is painful!

"So…stop shaking in your pants, Subaru-kun!"

?

The voice suddenly becomes familiar.

I turn around.

…

A brunette man in his green cloak is grinning at me.

"Hello Subaru-kun!" He waves his hand at me.

"Hi, Robin…" I reply.

…

"THAT WAS YOU!"

He covers his ears.

"Whoa, whoa… Tone down a bit."

"Why you— you've been playing me!"

The Prince of Thieves snickers.

"Well, I saw you from the roof so I figure I should greet you."

…

"We just met yesterday, wasn't that enough?"

The brunette tilts his head.

"What? I can't greet an acquaintance everyday…?"

…

He's…not wrong…

I palm my face.

I've been on edge for nothing.

"Well Robin, it's nice to see you. But I need to return to the stall. Marina is probably going to kill me with a frying pan."

"You're right about that. That woman will surely give you a beat down. I'm taking the front seat." He snickers.

…

"Stop bothering me. Don't you have anything else to do? Aren't you a knight?"

"I'm a squire." He deadpans.

"Whatever…"

I walk away from him.

* * *

/***Scene break***/

* * *

"Geez, that Subaru-kun… Doesn't he know that I was just trying to help?"

The Prince of Thieves let out a sigh.

Then, the hooded young man turns his attention to some part of the alley.

"You can come out now. I know you're there."

[Swoosh]

The brunette man simply steps backward a few steps to avoid the flying knives.

"Whoops…! I'm not that easy to dispose, Ojou-chan." He bows mockingly at his opponent.

His assailant slow makes appearance.

It was a small character, shrouded in black cloak.

The shady character slowly removes its hood.

"A little girl…? I thought you'd be older." Robin Hood comments on his opponent.

Nevertheless, he keeps his bow and arrows in the quiver.

He knew that his bow won't help him much with close combat.

The brunette man simply draws a dagger from under his cloak.

As a Servant of the Bow, he can't use anything else but a bow.

Now, he is no longer a Servant.

In his life, he had faced perilous adventures that require expertise in multiple fields and extreme survival skills.

One of them is using a dagger.

For close combat, using a dagger is not reliable against a sword, a spear or an axe.

However, in a place such an alley, using longer weapon is a disadvantage.

Shorter weapons such as a dagger have more flexibility.

Nonetheless, it won't be an easy fight for Robin Hood.

His opponent has the same choice of weapons.

 **[Insert Soundtrack ~ Fate/ Extra – Duel (Kill or be Killed)]**

The two combatants move instantly.

[Clang]

Robin's dagger blocks an attack from the white haired girl.

[Clang, clang, clang, clang]

Since Robin has better range than her, the brunette thief could intercept her slashes with ease.

Just because his opponent seems younger doesn't mean she was harmless.

Robin steps backward.

He has no Instinct, nor Mind's Eye.

However, his battle experience tells him to be wary.

The petite assassin draws another knife.

[Clang, clang, clang]

The girl targets his lower abdomen, attempting to disembowel him.

This is mainly due to her shorter stature.

The Prince of Thief executes a sweep kick.

The white haired girl simply performs a somersault to evade his sweep.

[Swoosh]

[Clang, clang]

She tossed the knives in her hands, which was intercepted by Robin effortlessly.

She draws another set of knives.

"Where did you get those kitchen knives? Those aren't for combat." Robin cracks a joke.

But, there was some truth in his joke.

The knives thrown by the girl weren't meant for combat.

They were literally kitchen knives.

However, a knife is a knife.

They are still sharp and lethal.

The petite assassin surges toward him wordlessly.

[Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang]

More blows were directed towards Robin.

The Prince of Thieves seems to hold the higher hand for now.

The girl was agile.

If she was up against a standard Lugnican knight, she could easily disembowel him.

However, she is facing a former Servant.

His stats have significantly grown upon his arrival.

It was a mystery to Robin Hood himself.

The brunette executes a roundhouse kick.

[Swoosh]

The white haired girl evades his attack.

"Heh… Quite agile, aren't you?" He snorts.

There's no doubt about it.

His opponent is slightly faster than him.

While he can easily parry away her attacks, his own attacks rarely connect.

Most of the time, the girl evades his attacks.

Robin wasn't planning to wound the girl.

He was hoping, at least, to cripple her combat ability.

Nonetheless, his plan doesn't seem to go well.

"Sasaki can handle this kind of opponent better…" He muses to himself.

Then, he shakes his head.

"No wonder I'm getting rusty… I depend too much on that samurai." He muses again.

Suddenly, Robin senses an impending doom.

He quickly performs a side roll.

[CRASH]

The floor where he used to stand was smashed by a giant spear.

The newcomer is another hooded character.

His height easily overwhelms Robin.

"You are—"

The brunette man immediately swings his dagger.

[Clang, splat]

"Gah…!"

One of the flying knives manages to embed in his arm.

[CRASH]

The Prince of Thief rolls on the ground to escape the giant's attack.

"Not so fast…!"

The giant instantly grabs the young man by his cloak.

"Guh…!" The brunette struggles against the giant.

With only his left hand, the giant hurls his victim towards the wall.

[THUD]

"GAH…!"

Robin was smashed towards the wall.

[Thud]

The brunette coughs out blood upon landing.

"Don't waste your time, Jack. Follow that boy." The giant man says to the white haired girl.

The petite assassin simply nods and vanishes from their sight.

Robin struggles to stand.

"T-two against… one… Is that fair?" The brunette man chuckles at his own joke.

"You can still jest in that condition?" The giant removes spear from the ground.

"Kuh…" Robin grunts after pulling out the knife.

The gigantic man snorts.

"Weakling…"

He points his spear at the Prince of Thieves.

"Houtengeki…" The man in green cloak mutters.

Yes.

The spear, no, the halberd used by the hooded giant is Houtengeki.

"Hmm… You can recognize my weapon. A former Servant, eh…?" The giant man muses.

"While that halberd is not uncommon among Chinese warriors, only one man stands out when we talk about Houtengeki. Isn't that right, Lu Bu Feng Xian?" Robin points the bloodied knife towards the giant.

"HAHAHAHAHA…!" The hooded man laughs heartily.

"So I was right…" Robin wipes the blood on his lips.

The huge man stops laughing.

"Indeed. I am Lu Bu. Nevertheless, knowing my identity won't help you much, Robin Hood. You are going to die here."

The brunette young man chuckles at his remark.

"Hey, you know who I am. I'm touched." The Prince of Thieves says jokingly.

[Clang]

He tosses away the bloodied knife and pulls out his bow.

However, his bow was not the Yew Bow.

"As I suspected… Servants outside Jeanne's influence do not have their Noble Phantasms." The giant man muses.

Robin shrugs.

"What are you talking about? This is my Noble Phantasm."

The huge man raises his eyebrow beneath his hood.

The young man pulls out an arrow from underneath his cloak.

"HAHAHAHA…!" The giant man laughs again.

Lu Bu swings his spear and it turns into a bow.

"I don't really care if that is your Noble Phantasm or not. You will die by my hand."

The brunette man swallows his saliva.

He knew he had no chance from the beginning.

Lu Bu is too much for him.

Even with his Noble Phantasm, he cannot win against the former Chinese general.

"As a fellow Servant, I'll let you die by my Noble Phantasm." The Chinese man draws his bow.

 _God's Force_

Lu Bu's Noble Phantasm that consist of nine forms.

One of them is a Bow.

Robin is too weak to escape from the giant man.

Even he does, the Chinese general will surely shoot him down.

It is known in Lu Bu's legend that he managed to shoot the bottom part of his halberd from a very long distance.

"Dammit… Here I thought I could finally become a knight." The Prince of Thieves utters.

Robin pulls the string of his bow.

"I'm not going down without a fight!"

"Now that's more like it!" The Chinese general yells in glee.

* * *

/***Scene break***/

* * *

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

"Where have you been?" Marina, my would-be-executioner asks with frying pan in her hand.

…

"Um… Sight-seeing…?"

[EXPLOSION ~ in my mind only]

Marina's fifty hits combination

A series of slapping, upper cutting, flying kicking, and panning!

The finishing touch, the pan, is done with great force!

The said force was enough to send me flying to the air, literally!

* * *

/~after being punished~/

* * *

The blond woman let out a sigh.

"Seriously Subaru… That's enough slacking. We need all the income we could get. The plague was bad enough for our economy." She sighs again.

…

"Hey, Marina-san… Mind if I ask about the plague?"

The blond woman gestures at the vegetable.

"I can tell you about the plague later. Move those crates."

"Oh… Okay, hehehe…"

I laugh sheepishly while scratching my head.

"Alright, heave-ho…!"

I lift a crate.

"Marina." Myriam-san calls out to her.

The two women whisper to each other.

?

I wonder what they were talking about…

I do my task silently as I ponder.

"Subaru-kun..." The mother suddenly calls out to me.

"What is it, Myriam-san?"

The older woman gives me a piece of paper.

…

I can't read this…

"Can you go to this address? I want you to deliver a message to the manager. We don't have enough vegetables for his restaurant."

…

But I can't tell her that I can't read…

"Yes ma'am! I'll make sure he'll get it!" I salute the elderly woman.

Oh wait, she hates being called that.

…

I saluted the blond woman in her late forties.

Myriam giggles at my antics.

"Okay, get going then. You can head home after that. I'll cook something nice for your effort."

!

Now, I'm excited!

Believe it or not, Myriam is an amazing cook!

Her dish was very delicious!

It's hard to believe that all of them were vegetable.

"I'll be on my way!"

* * *

/~a few minutes later~/

* * *

…

Now what…?

…

I guess I should ask around.

Let's start with this red haired guy in white clothing.

"Excuse me."

"Hmm…?" The young man with red hair turns to face me.

"Can you show me to this location?"

I show him the piece of paper.

The young man smiles softly at me.

"Of course… It'll be my pleasure."

He glances at the paper.

"This is…" His face shows confusion.

"Is something wrong with the address…?"

The young man shakes his head.

"Not at all... It's the Karsten manor. I was surprised to see that you were heading there."

That sounds like a noble's house.

…

"Pardon me. Where exactly is the Karsten Manor…?"

The blue-eyed young man rubs the back of his head.

"Maybe it's easier if I lead you there."

I nod.

"That's a great idea!"

He chuckles lightly.

…

"Sorry for troubling you…"

The young man shakes his head.

"Not at all… I enjoy helping people. Besides, I want to visit my grandfather for once."

?

"Your grandfather lives there…?"

He nods.

"He works there as a butler."

I nod as well.

!

"Oh…! Before I forget, my name is Natsuki Subaru." I introduce myself to the stranger.

The young man smiles in response.

"My name is Reinhard van Astrea. Please to meet you, Subaru."

!

He calls me by my first name…

"Yeah, please to meet you too, Reinhard-san."

He shakes his head.

"Just call me Reinhard."

…

He closes the gap between us like nothing…

I've never met such friendly guy.

* * *

/~two hours later~/

* * *

…

That was a long walk…

"We're here." Reinhard declares in front of the mansion.

?

I could see some cracks and holes all over the place.

"I'm sorry about that, Subaru. We could have reached this place earlier if we took a dragon carriage. " He says sheepishly.

…

Earlier, he helped an elderly woman to catch her cat.

We missed the carriage because of that.

So, we end up walking.

Well, never mind that…

"What's with this place…?"

I thought a noble mansion should be in better condition that this…wreckage.

The young man's smile goes sour.

"There was a terrorist attack half a month ago. Many lives were lost that day."

…

I stare blankly at the ruins.

"Ara…? Reinhard, you came to pay us a visit?"

!

A cat eared girl!

"Good evening, Ferris-san." He greets the cat girl.

" _Nya_ ~" She forms cat paw gestures with her hands.

"Felix-sama, do we have guests?"

A handsome man with black hair appears behind her.

The said man is wearing white clothing almost similar to Reinhard's set of apparel.

"Good evening." The newcomer bows at us.

"You must be the new squire, Diarmuid. It is a pleasure to meet you." Reinhard greets the new guy.

The amber-eyed young man nods.

"And you must be Reinhard van Astrea."

…

"Subaru, what is it that you want to say?" The red haired man suddenly asks me.

!

"Ah…! I want to see the manager of the restaurant."

" _Nya~…_? There is no restaurant around here." The flax haired cat girl says.

…

"What…?"

I exchange glances with Reinhard.

…

Could it be?

I look at the piece of paper.

…

And I flip it backward.

…

There's something else written!

"GAH…! I'm totally at the wrong place!"

Reinhard tilts his head.

"What do you mean? The address clearly shows this place."

I point the piece of paper to him.

And I flip it backward.

"Ah… There's another address." He startles from the revelation.

?

However, he seems more frustrated.

"Wait a minute… Reinhard, you actually missed a detail? That's unusual." The cat girl comments on his mistake.

?

"Lately I don't feel like myself… It was as if a large part of my soul has been split apart." He states while making a sour face.

…

"I'll check your health again." The girl in blue dress offers to him.

The young man nods.

"Thank you, Ferris."

…

"What is going on?"

The others turn their attention to me.

"It's nothing Subaru. It's just… I'm not feeling well." Reinhard claims.

…

"Oh… I guess it's my fault for making you walk all the way here." I lower my head.

"No, no, no, no! That's not it. It's… something else." He averts his face.

?

"Where exactly is this place you're heading, Subaru-kyun?" The cat girl suddenly asks.

"Eh? You know my name?"

"I heard it multiple times from Reinhard. So, where do you want to go?" She asks me.

I hand over the piece of paper.

"Oh… It is way back to the capital. Dia-kyun, can you send him?" She remarks.

The amber-eyed man nods.

"Follow me, Subaru-dono." He says to me.

* * *

/~two minutes later~/

* * *

The two of us arrive at the stable.

They actually had a stable for dragons…?

"Subaru-dono, you should be careful around these dragons. One of them is very hostile towards everyone." The young man warns me.

I nod.

We slowly walk inside the stable.

[Growl]

!

"Subaru-dono, watch out!"

All of a sudden, I'm lifted to the air.

"Help…!"

Then, I suddenly land on my foot.

…

?

I turn to face my assailant.

It's a black dragon.

"Good dragon… Don't eat our guest." The black haired young man says while pointing a broom at the said dragon.

…

"Hey, I don't think it will eat me." I say to the man.

"Subaru-dono… That is the dragon I was talking about… That's Patrasche…" He says in low tone.

…

I try touching its face.

"SU…BA…RU-…DO…NO…!" He says in dramatic slow motion.

At least, he is… in my vision.

As for me, I'm petting the dragon.

The amber-eyed man falls down to the ground after that dramatic scene.

"Look at him. He's a good dragon." I claim.

"Actually, it's a 'she'." He points out while still on the ground.

* * *

/~upon reaching the capital~/

* * *

"Thanks Diarmuid-san, for sending me here." I thank the squire.

Along the way, we talk about our lives.

Apparently, Diarmuid is trying to be a knight.

He smiles at me.

"Well, until we meet again, Subaru-dono." He rides away with the black dragon in tow.

Once in a while, Patrasche tries to bite him.

I snicker at the sight.

Now, let's finish that errand.

* * *

/~after informing the manager~/

* * *

It's not that far…

I guess I was wasting time trying to find that restaurant.

Myriam-san is nice enough to let me do simple task unlike that hot headed Marina…

I let out a sigh.

It's dark already.

Not many people still wandering the streets.

I guess I should head home.

…

Heh, I actually consider the Jelton's place as my home.

I guess… I accidentally include them as part of my life.

* * *

/~Jelton's Residence~/

* * *

?

It's surprisingly quiet…

Normally, the house would be noisy.

What is going on?

I open the door to the residence.

"Hello…?"

…

No one answered me…

I stride forward into the house.

…

I think my phone still has some battery.

[Click]

…

"10.38 p.m."

By my place standard, it's close to midnight.

I note that Lugnica is an hour late than Japan.

I've been tracking the time flow ever since I live in Kotomine manor.

Surprisingly, my phone still has battery.

I guess without connection, the phone's battery can last longer.

From the looks of it, the phone still has two out of four bars.

"That should last for a couple more days."

Since, it took six days to drain two bars.

…

That's unusual…

I don't think a normal phone can last that long.

…

Come to think of it, where is everyone?

I was expecting Marina to scream at me for prolonging a simple task.

!

"Myriam-san, Marina-san…! I'm back!"

Totally forgot to say that.

I've been forgetting my manners ever since I came to this world.

…

?

"Okay… This is weird."

I don't think Marina and Myriam would go anywhere at times like this.

It's dark already and it's close to midnight.

?

There's a small painting of a family portrait.

I approach the object of interest.

I see a smiling blond woman with blue eyes next to a gray haired man.

The blond woman is cradling a baby.

"I'm guessing the blond woman is Myriam and the baby is Marina."

Since, the blond woman looks so similar to Marina.

Marina must have gotten her looks from her mother.

…

There were three more people inside the picture.

There is a giant bald man, a brunette woman and man with white hair.

"Friends of them…?"

I inspect the names listed on the painting.

'From left: Galahad, Myriam, Marina, Gray, Claudia, and Gian.'

…

"So Marina's father is that guy with long gray hair…"

He does look handsome.

…

Why am I bothering with their family portrait…?

Where are they in the first place?

…

Maybe I should help myself with dinner.

Myriam-san did say she will cook something for me.

[Creak]

?

What was that?

…

I think it came from the attic.

…

"Could it be a ghost?" I snicker to myself.

…

Well, I am in fantasy world.

Stuffs like that could pop out from anywhere.

…

"It's probably just a rat though…"

…

But I can't shake the anxiety…

…

* * *

/~in the kitchen~/

* * *

Salt should work against ghosts.

Onions could ward off _Oni_ according to Japanese lore.

Chinese folklore stated that garlic can ward off demons.

Luckily, everything is here.

…

I eye a kitchen knife.

…

I pick up the knife.

Just in case it wasn't a rat or a ghost, I need something to defend myself.

"Yosh…! Now, let's check out that attic."

* * *

/~in the attic~/

* * *

For some reason, the attic seems a bit off…

"That's odd… Is it me or the attic seems bigger?"

I went here a day ago since Marina told me to store some old stuff.

Suddenly, a pungent smell enters my nostril.

"What the heck…?"

…

Wait a minute…

I recognize that smell…

…

[Heart thumping]

" _Go back, Subaru._ " My heart whispers to me.

…

I shake my head violently.

"Come on… I can't chicken out now. I'm a grown man."

Technically, I'm still a teenager.

…

"Well, here goes nothing."

I stride forward into the attic.

[Echoing footstep]

…

Okay…

That can't be right…

I don't think an attic could produce an echo…

" _Subaru, go back. It's not safe here._ " My heart says to me.

…

I pull out the kitchen knife.

" _Are you stupid? Like hell a knife could work against ghosts._ "

"Shut up."

I resume walking forward.

[Echoing footsteps]

…

?

Something is definitely off…

The attic shouldn't be this big…

"Okay… It's time to go back."

I turn away.

?

"Huh?"

I wipe my eyes.

…

"My phone… Where's the phone?"

I fetch the phone from inside my pocket.

[Click]

…

My way back… it's gone.

…

"I've been spirited away…!"

Subaru, you idiot…!

My folks said that once you've been spirited away, you can't go back!

"Now what…?" I bit my finger.

"Su…su…baru…"

?

"Marina-san…?"

Her voice came from deeper into the darkness.

…

I have a bad feeling about this…

" _Don't go._ "

…

"I have no choice. I can't go back anyway."

" _Run away, Subaru._ "

…

[Echoing footsteps]

I walk towards where I heard Marina's voice.

" _Stop…!_ "

…

" _This is crazy, Subaru! You're going to die there!_ "

…

" _Yorokobe shounen… Your wish shall be granted._ "

…

"How the heck Kirei's voice got into my head…!?"

[Splat]

?

…

I think… I stepped on something…

…

Let's…step back a little.

[Splat, splat]

…

It can't be…

[Heart thumping]

No way…

[Heart thumping]

This got to be a joke…

[Heart thumping]

That can't be happening.

[Click]

I turn on the light once again.

…

"Aa…"

[Heart thumping]

"Aaa…"

[Heart thumping]

"AAAAAA…!"

Marina-san…

She's—

She's—

"You reek of that Witch."

!

[Swoosh]

I swing the knife in my hand.

"Where are you…!? Who are you…!? What are you talking about…!?"

"You reek of that Witch. Mother would praise me for disposing Satella's beloved."

?

That voice…

It sounds like a child.

[SPLAT]

"Eh…?"

I can't feel my hand.

No, scratch that.

My knife, where is it?

!

"AAAAA…!"

She-she cut off my arm…!

"Good night, Satella's lover."

"Eh…?"

[SPLAT]

My vision suddenly moves to the ceiling.

[Thud]

I fall on the floor and I saw my body still stands.

What the—

* * *

/~ _Return by Death_ ~/

* * *

"Are you okay, Nii-chan? That girl did beat you with a frying pan."

…

"I'm back." I utter.

#Chapter End#

* * *

[Author's note]

And we're back with Subaru.

Yeah, another derailing plot line.

The nameless woman with sick mother from the first series make a comeback.

This time, I decide to reveal her name and background.

Originally, I don't plan to give her a big role.

While I was mulling over the major plot for this arc, I read my story to find some loophole.

Then, I got an idea!

Anyways, this is something I came out by myself so there is no relation with the original Re:Zero plot or Romancing Saga plot.

As always, witty remarks and jokes are welcomed!

Please aid me in shaping this new saga.


	6. Chapter 03

Chapter 03: Friends or acquaintances?

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

"Are you alright, Nii-chan? You don't look so good." The fruit seller asks.

…

I give him a smile.

"It's okay. I'm just feeling a bit dizzy." I say to him.

The gangster-like man stares blankly at me.

"Well… if you say so."

…

"Ah! I think I should go back to the Jelton's. Marina-san is going to throw a fit if I don't."

The man chuckles at my remark.

"Yep…! You'd better go." He adds his two cents.

I wave at him as I walk.

…

There's no doubt about it…

Someone is out there to kill us.

But the questions are…who and why would they target us?

[Thud]

!

"Watch where you're going, brat…!"

…

It's the same hooded guy…

Just now, he bumped into me again.

…

I need to get Myriam and Marina away from their house.

…

No.

That wouldn't be good enough.

Whoever the killer was, he or she was clearly spying on us.

…

I need to get help.

Who can I ask for help at times like this?

The knights, maybe…?

…

That's not a bad idea…

But, what can I tell them?

Can I lie by saying to them that my phone can tell the future?

…

Let's just hope Robin didn't tell anything to Kirei.

…

!

That's right!

Robin…!

I can ask for his help.

And I know just where to find him.

* * *

/~at the alley~/

* * *

"Robin! Come out, come out wherever you are!"

He showed up here in the last 'walkthrough'.

…

He's probably is sneaking up to me again.

"I know you are there. Show yourself…!"

I turn behind immediately.

?

There's a little girl with white hair…

I let out a sigh.

"Here I thought you were Robin."

The petite girl tilts her head.

…

"Say, what are you doing all alone in this alley?"

I just realized something.

She only wears rags.

…

An orphan…?

"You stink…" She suddenly says.

?

"Hey, I don't think I was that smelly. Was I?"

The girl nods.

…

I let out another sigh.

"I guess I'm not made for manual labours…"

The girl tilts her head again.

"You… why are you so casual?" She suddenly asks.

"Hmm…? Well, I'm always like this."

The girl nods sagely.

…

"What's your name? I'm Natsuki Subaru."

The white haired girl stammers from my sudden inquiry.

"I-I…"

"No one else ever asked for your name?"

If that's the case, she is one poor child.

I wonder if Felt knew this girl.

"Why are you wasting your time chatting, Jack?"

?

All of a sudden, a deep manly voice is audible from behind me.

I turn to face him.

!

Out of the blue, he grabs me by my face.

"He-hey…! Let go of me!"

I can't even see his face.

"What the- He is this weak?"

Confusion is apparent in his tone.

!

"ARGH…!"

He-he's crushing my skull!

"Let go of me…!"

I struggle to free myself.

It's painful!

It's utterly excruciating!

No matter how much I claw at his hand, his iron claw doesn't seem to lose any power.

[Crack]

?

Eh?

Is it me or there's something cracking?

[Crack]

…

[SPLAT]

* * *

/~ _Return by Death_ ~/

* * *

"Are you okay, Nii-chan? That girl did beat you with a frying pan."

…

"What just happened?"

The fruit seller raises his eyebrow.

"Did you lose your memory? You came here after being beaten by that Marina." He reminds me of the event.

…

"I'll be heading back to the Jelton's."

"Are you okay, Nii-chan? You don't look so good." The gangster-like man comments on my condition.

…

"Don't worry! This is Natsuki Subaru!"

I give him a thumb up.

He stares at me like I have grown tow heads.

"If you say so…"

* * *

/~on the way to the Jelton's stall~/

* * *

Okay, let's review what just happened.

In the first walkthrough this time around, I met Robin in the alley.

After that, Myriam-san sent me on an errand to a restaurant.

Since I couldn't read the instruction, I asked a random guy by the name Reinhard to read it for me.

Apparently, he is a really nice guy who likes to help people.

He accidentally read the address to the Karsten manor, which is not my actual destination.

After our little shenanigan in that manor, I came back to the capital with Diarmuid-san.

By the time I got home, there was a killer waiting for me.

But in the second walkthrough, I went to the alley to find Robin but ended up getting killed by someone strong enough to crush my skull with his bare hand.

[Thud]

"Watch where you're going…!"

Not you again…

I watch the giant hooded man walks away.

This is the third time he bumped into me and it's starting to get annoying.

…

Going to the alley is a bad choice since if Robin doesn't shows up, someone else will…

…

!

What about that girl!?

She was all alone in that alley!

I need to save her!

That man will surely kill her if he found her.

I rush toward the alley.

…

Dammit!

I don't know her name!

How can I call her if I don't know her name?

…

"Little girl with white hair! Where are you…?"

Let's just hope she can recognize my voice.

I run along the alley.

"Little girl with white hair…!" I yell again.

Where is she?

!

All of a sudden, a silhouette jumps in front of me.

The said silhouette wears tattered green cloak.

…

"Yo, Subaru…! Fancy meeting you in creepy place like an alley…!" The newcomer greets me.

For once, I'm actually glad he showed up.

"Robin, thank goodness… I was looking for you."

The brunette raises his eyebrow.

"Huh…? That's odd. I thought you don't like me." He muses.

...

"Yeah, I still don't like you. But…"

He's not really a bad guy…

He did support the idea of me wooing Emilia.

If he really is an asshole, he'll mock me.

…

"Anyways, I need your help."

The man in green cloak fold his hands.

"I'm listening."

…

How should I tell him?

'My phone gave me an insight to the future. There's a killer after me again.'

…

Nah, he won't buy it.

Maybe I should tell him about _Return by Death_ …

"Actually, I have—"

[Heart thumping]

" _That won't do, Subaru._ " A female voice whispers at my ear.

!

She's… she's grabbing my heart!

"Subaru-kun, are you alright?" Robin suddenly asks.

…

What just happened?

Just now, someone grabbed my heart…

"You look awful. You should get some rest. I'll talk to that Marina chick to let you slack for the day." The Prince of Thieves tells me before heading to the market.

…

I glance around my surrounding.

…

Let's just hope that orphan don't get caught by that man…

* * *

/~at the marketplace~/

* * *

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

"He's what…?" Marina, the hot headed blond woman asks.

"Subaru-kun is not feeling well. Just now, he almost faint in the alley." The Robin, brunette man vouches for my illness.

Marina puts away her frying pan.

"You're such a weakling, Subaru…" She let out a sigh.

…

"Well, that's settled things up. See you around, Subaru-kun." Robin waves his hand.

!

"Wait…!"

The Prince of Thieves halts at my request.

"What is it?" He asks with eyebrow raised.

…

"I don't feel…safe…"

The man in green cloak turns to Marina.

"Geez... You scared Subaru-kun to hell."

"WHAT…!? I'm not that scary!" The woman argues.

…

"Well Subaru-kun, as much as I want to help, I can't be babysitting you all day. That _yorokobe_ bastard is going to punish me with stable work if I keep skipping his ethics class." Robin let out a sigh.

…

"Robin, can we talk in private?"

The brunette young man raises his eyebrow again.

"What's going on here? Who is this guy? What are you trying to keep away from me?" Marina bombards me with questions.

The Prince of Thieves smiles at her.

"To answer that question, I'm Subaru's friend, Robin Hood!" He claims.

"No, that isn't right… Subaru-kun didn't like me so I'm not his friend…" The young man mutters to himself.

"Correction; I'm Subaru's acquaintance. Please to meet you, Miss Jelton." Robin reintroduce himself.

The blond woman raises her eyebrow.

"Whatever… Go have your manly talk somewhere private like you wanted. I got a stall to run." She sighs.

…

* * *

/~an alley between random buildings~/

* * *

"What is it, Subaru-kun? Stop being so cryptic and tell me what's bothering you."

Robin demands me to spill it out.

…

"I…I think somebody is out to kill me again."

The brunette stares at me blankly.

"I see…"

…

"I don't think you're lying but… mind telling me how did you do that?" The brunette man suddenly says.

?

"Do what?"

"Predicting the future. The last time, you lied to us about using your phone to see the future. Anything you're not telling me?"

…

"I… I have—"

[Heart thumping]

!

She-she grabs my heart again!

My breathing becomes ragged.

"I see… So that's your unique ability." Robin suddenly muses.

?

"You're a seer, aren't you?"

A seer…?

"You mean like a psychic, a fortune-teller?" I ask him back.

The young man nods.

"I've been observing you for some time. You start to freak out every now and then. Mostly it happens because I ask you about something. That reaction just now… You had a vision?"

…

That could work…

I give him a nod.

"Yeah… I think I have that ability."

Of course that's a lie…

It's too vivid to be called a vision.

The Prince of Thieves muses to himself.

"What's going to happen?" He decides to ask.

…

"Later, Myriam-san is going to give me an errand. After finishing that errand, it's going to be night time."

Though, it happened because I took a long detour…

"After that, I return to the Jelton's place and—…"

I pause, hesitating.

"I see…" Robin nods sagely.

…

"Did you saw him?" He asks.

I shake my head.

"It was dark back then. I couldn't see anything at all."

The Prince of Thieves begins pondering to himself after hearing my testimony.

"Did this 'attacker' say anything before he attacks you?" He decides to ask.

...

I try to recall it.

" _You reek of that Witch."_

?

"You seem like you recalled something." Robin suddenly says.

...

"I do recall it was a girl's voice."

The Prince of Thieves raises his eyebrow.

"A girl...? Are you sure you're not mistaken your attacker with that Marina chick?"

I shake my head.

"It was a different voice. She sounds much younger..."

The brunette man muses to himself again.

"Is there anything else? This is very confusing to me." He shrugs.

...

"Yeah... She said I reek of a Witch's smell."

Robin raises his eyebrow at my remark.

"A witch...? That's... not good." His face becomes serious.

?

"It doesn't matter where you came from; associating with witches is a taboo subject. Among all magic users, witches are the ones we loathed most." Robin cringes at the subject.

...

"So, now what...? Am I a witch or something? I thought magic users have many titles. There are mages, wizards, spell casters, magicians or other stuffs."

The Prince of Thieves shakes his head.

"Listen Subaru, this isn't a game. I know those terms are popular in those games you used to play but in this world, each title has different meaning." He says with stern voice.

...

"I thought witches are the gender opposite of wizards."

The brunette man shakes his head.

"That's a very narrow definition." He let out a sigh.

Then, he places his hands on his waist.

"Subaru, witches are practitioners of dark arts. It doesn't matter whether it is necromancy or demonology, dark arts are dangerous. Wizards, on the other hand, are spell casters."

?

"Yeah, I know that face. You don't understand me, do you?"

I nod.

The brunette man scratches his head.

"To put it simply, all magic users are spell casters. However, depending on the types of magic you used, your title may vary. Dark arts such necromancy will gladly label you as evil sorcerer or a witch for female."

...

"I think I kinda... get it now."

Not really...

Robin let out a sigh.

"I can tell from your face that you don't understand a thing... Well, screw it! Let's focus more on your situation. So, this attacker, a girl, said you were a witch?"

I nod.

The Prince of Thieves inspects me from top to bottom.

Then, he shakes his head.

"There's no way someone like you can be a despicable witch. You're too normal to be one."

...

For some reason, that pisses me off...

"Well, to make things a bit easier, let me fetch Sasaki."

[Heart thumping]

!

"Wait!"

The brunette man raises his eyebrow.

"Maybe... just maybe... we shouldn't bring Sasaki into this mess."

Robin closes his eyes.

Then, he let out a sigh.

"Fine..."

...

"Well, looks like I'll be skipping Kotomine's class again. Man... I'm so going to be a stable boy." He shrugs.

I chuckle at his remark.

"Thanks, Robin."

The man in green cloak shrugs again.

"Don't mention it."

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

A blond man in white shirt is enjoying his wine.

His bloody red eyes are inspecting the room with glee.

[Click]

The door to the room is opened.

"Yo, Kirei...! How is it going?" The blond man greets the newcomer.

The newcomer is wearing a black shirt, a ragged trouser, an apron and a bandanna on his head.

"The mapo still needs to be retest. It will be a while before it is ready for the masses."

The blond man cringes at his reply.

"I wasn't asking about that blasted mapo! I have little interest with that abysmal dish, mongrel."

The Japanese Lugnican knight raises his eyebrow.

The man ponders for his next statement.

"Ah... I presume you were asking about my campaign."

Revelation appears on the former priest's face.

The blond man gestures his glass to signal his affirmation.

"It didn't work as I planned. The candidate I supported ran away."

The red-eyed man's face starts to distort.

"You are free to laugh."

"KUHAHAHAHA...!" And the blond man laughs to his heart content.

"You were never meant to support, Kotomine. You are meant to observe from the shadows." The glorious man comments on Kirei's news.

The Japanese man nods.

"On a side note, how was your time, King of Heroes?"

A smile slowly creeps to the blond man.

"Amusing... very amusing... After spending time on this world, I find this world to be quite beautiful. It is worthy to be part of my collection. However, it wouldn't easy." The red-eyed man closes his eyes.

"Have you considered returning to your previous garden?"

A scowl appears.

"As much as I love my garden, it is too polluted. Humans have forgotten their place and they pay their insolence with their lives. I tried returning to Earth. However, the garden is no more..." The king laments the fate of his old world.

Silence permeates the air.

"Your former garden is no more. Do you wish to obtain this one instead, O' Gilgamesh?"

The blond man places his golden wine glass on the table.

"That would be very tempting. However, I will decline."

Kirei Kotomine raises his eyebrow.

"Alas, my role here is to observe. My former garden is ruined. Even this new one has its pests." The golden man remarks on the situation.

The former priest contemplates for his next question.

[Blubbing]

A strange blubbing sound floods the air.

A powerful odour invades the living space.

"KOTOMINE...! YOUR COOKING HAS GONE AWRY!" The golden man stands on his feet.

Mapo tofu has always been a nightmare to him especially the one created by Kirei.

"Ah... It appears I forgot to put off the fire."

"KOTOMINE...!"

Since the stench was too much, the King of Heroes did something he would never do.

That is... running away from the dreadful mapo.

Meanwhile, the cook is sighing.

"Why no one seems to understand the art of mapo?"

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

" _I'll be watching. Just keep your cool, Subaru-kun._ "

I read the note left by the Prince of Thieves.

I form a small smile.

He's somewhere among the crowds.

Knowing that he is watching, I feel a bit better.

"Subaru...? What are you doing here? Aren't you sick?" Marina asks me out of concern.

"Actually, I feel better now. I think I could help out with the stall."

The blue-eyed woman narrows her eyes.

"Well, fine... Just don't push yourself too hard. Was it my fault for beating you with a frying pan?" She says with hint of remorse.

I shake my head.

"Don't worry about that. I'm actually pretty durable. My talk with Robin helps a lot."

The blond woman sighs.

"If you say so..."

"By the way, I kinda overheard that you disliked that man. Why is that?"

...

"Marina-san... Are you prying into my private life?"

The young woman starts panicking.

"Wha-what...!? Was I that nosy? O-okay... I'll stop prying." She responds.

...

You know, that was kinda unexpected...

And Marina sounds a little cute...

...

I shake my head violently.

"Actually, Marina-san... I don't hate that guy. It was just a misunderstanding."

The woman tilts her head.

"Is that so..."

...

"Okay...! Let me handle the tomatoes! I just have to wash it, right?"

A small smile appears on her face.

"That's right."

I proceed to the tomato crates.

For a medieval setting, this place is very advanced.

They have piping system.

"Excuse me."

?

That's a familiar voice.

"How can I help you, good sir?" Marina's voice tends to the newcomer.

"Can I have some tomatoes, cabbages, and some of those carrots?" The familiar voice resumes speaking.

"I will prepare it immediately." The blond woman bows at him.

She begins packing the vegetables.

I try to peek at the customer.

...

!

"I knew it was you. Yo, Reinhard...!"

The red haired young man startles from my sudden addressing.

"Why yes... Hello." He recomposes himself.

I grin at him.

"Getting some vegetables, huh? You must be one hell of a health freak."

Reinhard smiles softly at me.

"I believe I am... Please to meet you, mister—"

He pauses to ponder about me.

...

Was I that insignificant that he forgot about me?

...

!

I palm my face.

We haven't 'meet' yet in this walkthrough!

"It's Subaru. Natsuki Subaru..." I re-introduce myself.

The man in white robe nods.

"Please to meet you, Subaru."

...

For some reason, Marina is glaring at me...

...

Wait a minute...

She was very polite to him.

And it was awfully polite instead of her usual casual speech...

"Hey, Reinhard-san... By any chance, are you a noble?"

"Just Reinhard would be fine. Yes, I am a noble from 'van Astrea' family." He answers with a smile.

...

I turn mechanically towards Marina.

"Su...ba...ru..." A creepy voice is audible in my ears.

...

I'm so dead...

"Here it is, Reinhard-sama. Thank you for your patronage." The blond woman hands over a package to him.

She bows to Reinhard after that.

"It is my sincere gratitude for these fresh produce." He bows back and walks away.

...

Reinhard, wait...!

Save me from this blond monstrous murderous woman!

* * *

/~later that night~/

* * *

"Smooth move, Subaru-kun."

The Prince of Thieves snickers at my misfortune.

"Shut up, Robin. I didn't know Reinhard was a noble."

"What...? You didn't know...? When did you get into this world?"

The brunette says while sitting on my bed.

Yeah, we're back into my lodging room.

"About a week ago..." I reply to him.

"Huh..."

He flops down to my bed.

"That explains some stuff. Lately, many people from different worlds are coming to this world."

?

"Wait... Are you saying there are more of us?"

The brunette young man crosses his legs while lying down.

"That about sums it up. Though, we might belong in a different reality." He responds to my question.

?

"What do you mean?"

He starts playing with his cloak again.

"Well... while both of us came from different world, we didn't belong from the same reality. From where I belong, mythologies are real."

...

"How about you...? Does King Arthur exist in your world as part of history?" He inquires.

...

I shake my head.

"King Arthur is a myth."

"That makes me a myth too..." Robin concludes.

...

"Just a question... How can you know about phones and games if you came from medieval Europe?"

He sits up.

"That's a hard question... I can answer that but it is likely you won't understand."

...

"Anyways, isn't this the time for that killer to attack?"

He pulls out a dagger from cloak.

I nod.

"It's around 10 to 11 p.m."

I draw my phone.

"Mrs. Jelton is away for some errand. So it's just Marina and you at home, if we exclude me." Robin analyzes the situation.

"Anyways, bar the windows. I'll go and bar the other windows and make sure Marina is safe. I wonder what that chick does at times like this..." Robin muses.

...

"Hey Robin... By any chance, are you having a crush on her?"

The brunette man tilts his head.

"A crush...? Well, she certainly is charming. But she's not my type."

...

"Okay, we'd better get moving. We don't know how the attackers would react with my presence." Robin says while spinning the dagger in his arm.

The Prince of Thieves opens the door to my room.

"Hey, Robin...! What should I do after barring the windows?"

"Don't move. Just stay still. I'll be back with Marina. Hopefully, she would come with me without labelling me as a robber..."

"But you are a thief."

"I'm not stealing anything today, okay?" He retorts.

Robin closes the door.

...

Now, what?

The windows are barred.

The room seems very dim.

...

This is boring...

[Click]

I check my phone again.

"10.22 p.m."

...

* * *

/~several minutes later~/

* * *

"10.57 p.m."

The attacker should be here around now.

But, what is taking Robin so long?

...

He told me to stay put.

...

I'm not a helpless baby.

I can protect myself.

Is there anything I could use as a weapon?

...

There's nothing here that I can use...

I need to go out and find a decent weapon.

Even if I stay put, the killer might come inside.

And I don't have anything to protect myself...

I open the door slowly.

[Creak]

...

[Creak]

Not helping, you stupid door...

[CREAK]

I open the door completely.

...

It looks like the coast is clear...

I stride into the middle of the corridor.

[Splat]

"Eh...?"

[Thud]

All of a sudden, my vision went dark.

* * *

/~ _Return by Death_ ~/

* * *

"That reaction just now… You had a vision?"

...

"What happened...?"

The brunette man shrugs.

"How would I know? You suddenly freak out."

...

I'm back...

#Chapter End#

* * *

[Author's note]

Guys, I'm playing with loophole here.

Though, I might plan something in the next chapter, a plot twist maybe?

See you guys next week!

Thanks for spending time on my work!


	7. Chapter 04

Chapter 04: I will walk away

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

"So, let me get this straight. You are a seer. You can see the future where you are going to die being killed by some invisible assassin." The Prince of Thieves summarizes what I told him.

I nod.

"After that, you see another possible future where I came to help but somehow, you got killed again."

I nod.

"That 'Robin' told me to stay put inside my room. He told me to wait until he came back with Marina-san. However, he didn't come back as he told after quite a while. So, I venture out. For some reason, I was killed."

The brunette man puts on his thinker pose.

"That doesn't sound convincing..."

?

"Even for a seer, the details you gave me were uncanny. It's like you experienced it yourself instead of seeing. Seers usually see from the third person point of view instead of a first person. Mind explaining that?" The man with green cloak inquires.

...

"Well, I—

[Heart thumping]

!

Sh-she's grabbing my heart again!

The pain disappears after a while.

...

"Let me guess; another vision?" The green eyed man raises his eyebrow.

...

I can't tell him about _Return by Death_...

Whoever that girl was, she was dead set on preventing me from spilling it out.

Lying by twisting the truth can bypass her 'hand'.

However, whenever someone detected my lie and asks for the truth, she will come and grab my heart.

Who is that girl?

Or was it a woman...?

...

"Um... yeah... I guess it was a vision."

The Prince of Thieves stares at me blankly.

"Oh well... If you don't want to tell me, then I can't do anything about it..." He let out a sigh.

...

"So, what do you expect me to do?" He asks.

"I was hoping if you can stop it from happening."

The brunette man ponders again.

"It will be easier if you can describe the culprit."

I shake my head to answer his question.

"Unfortunately, I didn't see her."

"Her...?"

Robin raises his eyebrow.

I nod.

"It was a 'her'. I heard her voice in the first event."

"How about the second one...?" He asks.

I try to recall any details.

...

...

...

"I can't seem to recall anything..."

"That could be a problem..." The young man let out a sigh.

"If it comes to this, we should ask for Sasaki's help."

!

"NO!"

The brunette man raises his eyebrow.

...

"I don't want to disturb him. Hahaha..." I laugh weakly.

Robin stares at me blankly.

"Subaru-kun, at times like this, you should swallow your pride and go ask someone you don't like for help."

...

"Well, I don't like you and I'm asking you for help."

The Prince of Thieves scratches his head.

"You got a point there..."

...

We remain awkwardly silent.

"So, now what...?" I ask him.

"I guess I'll be guarding you. The event happens in night time. If that happen when I left you alone, maybe we could avert it if I stay with you."

I nod.

"Yeah... That might be the ideal solution. But what should we tell Marina-san and Myriam-san...? The pair won't believe my nonsense."

Robin takes his thinking pose.

"I am a squire. Maybe my word can convince them to be away for the day."

"Speaking of being a squire, what kind of training did you undertake?"

The brunette man let out a sigh.

"A boring and arduous training... In fact, I don't think those training had any good to me. I am made for stealth, not blind rampaging." He whines.

"What about Sasaki-san? How did he take it?"

The green eyed man twitched.

"A little too enthusiastic... In fact, he's on top of the class aside from Diarmuid and Siegfried."

...

I know one of those guys...

Diarmuid is that black haired hunk from the Karsten manor.

They even have a cat eared girl.

What a perfect faction...

"How many squires recruited this time around...?"

"You are awfully interested. You still won't give up on being a knight, would you?" Robin says with a smirk.

...

"I am one. I am Emilia-tan's knight."

The brunette man chuckles at my remark.

"Whatever you say, Subaru-kun... It is better to dream big rather than having no dream." He adds his two cents.

...

"What's that supposed to mean? Is that a compliment or sarcasm?"

The Prince of Thieves sighs.

"Who knows...? Shouldn't you be minding the stall by now? You are not actually sick, are you?"

!

"Oh yeah...! I should go help out. Since the house will probably be a huge mess after we're done with it."

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

A Japanese man is cooking mapo.

He begins tasting his dish.

"Hmm... Could use more pepper."

Suddenly, the door to his kitchen is opened.

"Kirei-sama...! An envoy from Karsten camp is here...!"

It was one of his attendants.

The Japanese man let out a sigh.

"Can't he wait a little longer...?"

"Unfortunately Kirei-sama, it is Wilhelm-dono...!"

The former priest raises his eyebrow.

"The Demon Sword himself...? How curious..."

He removes his cooking pot from the fire.

After that, he takes off his bandanna.

"Take me to him."

* * *

/~Kotomine's manor lobby~/

* * *

The aged butler stands up upon Kirei's arrival.

"Good evening, sir Kirei."

The former priest snorts.

"Drop the title, Wilhelm van Astrea. I prefer to be called by my name."

The retired knight nods.

Suddenly, Wilhelm raises his eyebrow.

"Please, have a seat."

Kotomine Kirei offers, ignoring the man's confusion.

The two men take their seat.

"I don't mean to be rude, but why are you wearing such... strange clothing?"

The former priest replies with a smirk.

"I was testing my new mapo recipe. Being in a knight's robe will sully it. A mapo should be done in a cook's attire!"

The butler couldn't help but to sweat drop.

"Ah... I see..."

"I believe you didn't come here simply to comment on my attire. What brings you to my abode, O' Demon Sword?"

The aged man twitches when his nickname is brought forth.

"I come with a proposal from my lady, Crusch-sama."

Kirei clasps his hand on the coffee table.

"I'm listening."

"Would you join us in our hunt...?"

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

Reinhard shows up again.

I'll make sure I stay quiet for the time being.

If I say something stupid, Marina-san will punish me.

"Hello there."

?

Someone is calling for me.

"Yes...?"

It was the red haired young man.

"I see that you are a hardworking lad. Keep up the good work." He flashes me a smile.

...

His 'nice guy meter' is off the chart!

"Oh, that's Subaru-kun. The truth is he's a bit of slacker. He's only showing his 'good' side for now." Marina interjects.

...

"Ah... However, I do believe Subaru is doing his best to aid the stall. Isn't that right, Subaru?" Reinhard adds his comment.

...

His 'nice guy meter' IS OVER 9000!

...

Hey, I repeated that twice!

The blond haired berserker woman simply sighs.

"I just hope your encouragement could make him work faster, sir Reinhard."

...

"Sir Reinhard...?"

The red haired man nods.

"I am a noble of van Astrea family. I received so much expectation that I end up feeling inadequate." He let out a chuckle.

...

"If you excuse me, I shall be on my way." He bows out of respect.

Marina bows in return.

…

!

"Ow…! Hey…!"

She pulls my ear!

The red haired young man walks away with the elegance of a knight.

"Why did you pull my ear…!?"

"Because you are an idiot…! He bows at you, so you should bow back!"

"Huh…?"

I guess it is a custom for them to do that.

"Well, get back to washing tomatoes."

"Aye, aye, sir…" I say sarcastically.

"What the- Who are you calling a 'sir'…!?"

!

Eek…!

Wrong joke!

* * *

/~night time at Jelton's place~/

* * *

"Smooth move, Subaru-kun." The Prince of Thieves snickers at my misfortune.

"Shut up, Robin."

The brunette man sits down on the floor.

"So, at what time will the assassin arrive?"

I flip open my phone.

…

9.13 p.m.

It is still too early.

"How's Marina-san and Myriam-san?" I ask him, ignoring his previous question.

Robin starts fiddling with his cloak.

"The madam said something about visiting an old friend. At first she didn't want to bring her daughter along. But I manage to convince her to take along Marina." He replies without looking at me.

?

"Huh…? How did you convince her?"

"Eh? Well… I'll just keep it to myself." He replies nonchalantly.

?

"Since we got time to kill, how about exchanging stories? I always did this with my men when we have a gathering." Robin suddenly offers.

?

"Your men…?"

The brunette young man stammers.

"Ah… I forgot. That was a memory from long ago."

Melancholy is apparent on his face.

…

"Hey, Robin… I was just wondering, are you the original Robin Hood? I mean like the first person to be called Robin Hood."

The young man lies down on the floor.

"I was wondering about that too… I have the memory, the skills and even the good looks." He chuckles at his own joke.

…

"But the truth is, I have no idea… I don't know if I am the actual Robin Hood, the Prince of Thieves. Maybe I am just a carbon copy. Maybe I am based on the original Robin Hood."

?

"Wait… Are you saying that you are a fake?"

A scowl is apparent on his face.

"I've been asking that to myself. Am I a fake?"

…

"Hey Subaru, do you believe in miracle?" The man suddenly asks.

...

Well, I do possess a miracle myself…

If one can call _Return by Death_ as a miracle…

"Yeah… But, why are you asking?"

He averts his face.

"I still remember it as clear as day. I was summoned to the future."

?

"I was a Servant. An entity summoned for the sake of obtaining the Holy Grail."

"Servant…? Holy Grail…?" I sputter.

What is he talking about…?

"You won't understand even if I explain it. Let's just say a powerful force summoned me to the future as a pawn for its grand plan."

…

That's a bit simpler to understand.

I give him a nod.

"So, what happened? Why did it summon you?"

A painful smile appears on his face.

"I was summoned for a death match."

?

"256 participants, 128 pairs… All of us must fight to the death. I only survived until round two, how pathetic…" He chuckles at his own failure.

…

"I was classified as an Archer. It is a class for those who specialize with ranged weapon. Ironically, I was defeated by someone of my class. He was a nameless Archer in red cloak."

…

"Geh… I really hate that bastard. Everything he spouted irks me." He scowls at the memory.

…

I remain quiet to listen to his story.

"Anyways, I was defeated. By default, I was left to die with my partner. It was a very painful experience… both physical and mental."

…

"I fell into a dark void. I knew my existence was temporary. However, the thought of being erased scares the hell out of me. I scream but no voice came out. I struggle but there is nothing to break free." Robin describes his experience.

…

"Then, it happens. I saw a light."

?

"There is a voice calling for me. It was a young male. I can't recall his voice…"

…

"Strange as it sounds, I still remember his words. Not his voice but I can still remember his words."

…

"What did he say…?" I decide to ask.

The Prince of Thieves sits up on the floor.

" _Your power is needed. Go._ "

?

"It was a strange command… I can't comprehend it at all. He said my power is needed. But why is it needed? Where should I go? What should I do? What is my purpose?" Robin pauses.

…

"After that, I woke up in the slums. I met Old Man Rom and a younger Felt. Man, that girl is so cheeky... I tease her ever since. Simply said, I just _return from death_." He chuckles at the fond memory.

…

"So, you're the same as me…" I mutter.

The brunette tilts his head.

I'm not the only one with _Return by Death_.

There are others with the same ability.

However, their circumstances are different.

From what I can tell, we can't tell anyone about our ability.

Otherwise, that girl or woman will come and grab our hearts.

…

?

Wait a sec…

"How are you doing that?"

"Huh…? What are you talking about…?" Robin tilts his head.

"I mean, how can you tell me about Re—"

[Heart thumping]

!

She's—

"Another vision, Subaru-kun…?"

…

That can't be right…

Robin had experienced _Return by Death_.

So, how can he nonchalantly say it aloud?

Is this some kind of bias?

…

"Oi, Subaru-kun…! I'm talking to you." The brunette man stands up.

"Oh… yeah, what is it?"

"They're here." Robin declares with serious expression.

!

I flip open my phone.

"10.47 p.m."

I didn't realize it at all…

We were so absorbed with our conversation…

Robin pulls out a dagger from under his cloak.

"Subaru-kun, stay away from the door, the windows or the walls. I sense three of them."

I nod and do as he instructs me.

The two of us stand back to back in the middle of the room.

"Presence Concealment…? This is bad… We got two Assassins."

?

"No, that's incorrect… They are not Servants anymore. This is the worst thing could happen." Robin mutters.

…

"Robin, what are you talking about…?"

"These guys aren't your everyday lowlifes. They're strong. Perhaps they are even stronger than that Elsa woman. Even if Sasaki is here, he will have a difficult time against these guys."

!

They are stronger than Elsa and Sasaki…!?

"That can't be right…! What kind of assassins are they…!?"

"To answer your question, we are executioners."

!

"Subaru-kun, look out…!"

Robin pushes me away.

[Thud]

I fell on my butt.

[SPLAT]

…

I raise my head slowly.

"Robin…?"

The Prince of Thieves remains silent.

[Coughing blood]

He falls lifelessly beside me.

…

I glance around to find the assailant.

How did they do it?

How did they kill Robin?

"Where are you looking, lad? I'm in front of you."

?

I turn my head towards the source of the voice.

The air suddenly ripples and a man in orange Chinese clothing shows up.

His red hair is tied in ponytail.

He keeps both of his hand inside his robe.

"I must say, he was quite an interesting opponent. If he wasn't protecting you, we could have a small bout." The Chinese man opens his mouth.

[Crash]

A gigantic silhouette breaks down the door.

"You are done with the interloper, Shu Wen?"

The newcomer is another Chinese man.

…

I recognize that hood…

He was the one who bumped into me.

"It appears I just missed an interesting opponent, Feng Xian. He was protecting this boy." The man in orange robe gestures towards me.

"Your 'Second Strike is Needless' was not a bluff, I see." The giant comments his partner.

The man in question simply smirks in return.

…

"Who are you people? Why are you doing this…!?"

The two Chinese men turn to me.

"Didn't I mention earlier that we are executioners?" The first man replies.

…

"Why are you wasting your time with this weakling? Let's kill him and be done with it." The giant declares.

!

"Wait…!" The first man halts his companion.

"What is it now, Shu Wen?"

There are signs of annoyance in his tone…

"Let Jack finish this task. She is desperate for Jeanne's affection."

?

Jack…?

All of a sudden, a girl shows up between them.

!

"You are—"

[Splat]

—that girl from before…

* * *

/~ _Return by Death_ ~/

* * *

"Are you okay, Nii-chan? That girl did beat you with a frying pan."

…

Huh?

Wait a sec…

This is…

…

My 'save point' has changed again…

It didn't disturb me when it happens at the loot house.

But now that I think of it, how does it work?

I die and then I come back to a certain time in the past.

For the current event, the fruit seller is my first save point.

However, after two 'walkthroughs', my save point has moved forward after I met Robin.

Now, I'm back beside the fruit seller…

…

"Oi…! Why are you ignoring me…!?" The gangster-like man yells.

"Oh… Sorry, sorry… I was deep in my thought." I reply to him.

The man snorts and resumes moving his fruit crates.

…

Maybe, my ability works more like a game than I initially assumed…

Let's just say, I got more than one slot of save files.

But the problem is, I can't choose where to restart…

The first event in this world, let's label it as the tutorial, I take five tries to get it right.

They say history repeats itself.

So, no matter what I do, certain events do repeat themselves.

However, the fourth 'walkthrough' where everything starts to get screwy, a lot seems to make less sense.

If my ability is to _Return by Death_ , then, there must be a limit.

…

If this is really a game, I don't know how much lives I wasted…

…

Just like the last time, this is my fifth attempt…

I don't know what will happen if I die again.

"Oi…!"

?

"I don't know what's on your head. But shouldn't you be at the Jelton's…? That Marina is going to beat you up again." The fruit seller says nonchalantly.

…

Being beaten by Marina doesn't sound so bad by now…

I got a bigger problem to handle.

The question is, how should I handle it?

I recall our assailants were Chinese.

…

?

Huh?

They were Chinese…

How did I discern their traits?

…

Wait a sec…

These events don't make any sense…

Why would Chinese men appear in Lugnica?

And why are they after me?

What did I do to deserve execution?

…

The big hooded guy…

Yeah, I recall bumping into him.

But, it hasn't happen yet.

Robin told me that even Sasaki couldn't handle these guys.

Just who are those men?

"Yo, Subaru-kun…!"

?

I raise my head upward.

I was sitting the whole time, so I didn't realize anyone approaching.

The fruit seller was generous enough to let me sit by his stall.

My visitor gives me his wide smile.

"Don't tell me you were too afraid to go back to that stall?" The brunette man says nonchalantly.

…

 _He falls lifelessly beside me._

"Hey, Robin…"

The Prince of Thieves raises his eyebrow.

"Huh? What's with that half-hearted addressing?"

…

I killed him…

I led him to his death…

"It's nothing…" I avert my face.

The young man remains silent.

The two of us stay that way for a few minutes.

"Hey boss, give me one of those apples."

"Huh...?"

"I mean appa. I got the word wrong... Hahaha...!"

...

I let the two men converse without saying a word.

Suddenly, Robin takes a seat beside me.

[Munch]

The brunette takes a bite from the fruit.

...

"I know a guilty face when I see one. So, what did you do?" Robin opens the conversation.

...

I avert my face from him.

"Not telling, huh...?"

...

"Hey look...! It's Emilia-tan...!"

!

"Where...!? Where...!?"

I stand up and start looking around frantically.

...

I turn towards the brunette man.

The culprit is giving me his cat smirk.

"I gotcha'..." He says with intent to ridicule me.

...

I let out a sigh.

"Leave me alone, Robin... I got so much on my plate already."

"Oh... And what kind of problem is that?" He attempts to pry me.

...

"Even if I tell you, you wouldn't understand."

The Prince of Thieves gives me his blank stare.

" _Ji..._ (*stare)" He says while staring.

...

" _Ji..._ (*stare)"

...

" _JI_...(*stare)"

...

" _JI..._ (*stare)"

"Alright...! Alright...! I'll tell you...!"

He makes a triumphant pose.

I sigh again.

"What the heck... I thought only girls do that kind of stuff." The fruit seller comments with a sweat drop.

* * *

/~inside the fruit seller's house~/

* * *

"Okay, spill it. Kadomon was nice enough to give us some privacy. What is troubling you?"

Robin starts bombarding me with question.

...

"I am a see—"

[Heart thumping]

!

What the—

" _That's enough leniencies from me, Subaru-kun..._ "

Who the—

" _You can't tell him the future. You cheated me enough..._ "

Who are you...!?

Why are you doing this to me...!?

" _You need not to know me..._ "

"Subaru-kun...! Subaru-kun...!"

I start panting robustly.

"Oi...! Are you alright...!?"

The fruit seller enters the scene.

The two other men look at me with concern.

...

"It's nothing. Hahaha...!"

I laugh to soften the atmosphere.

?

For some reason, Robin is scowling.

"No, that's not something to be laughed, Subaru-kun."

?

The fruit seller was also confused by his sudden change of demeanour.

"Kadomon, can you leave us alone once again? I need to talk to Subaru-kun."

The gangster-like man scratches his head.

"O-okay... Call me if you need anything."

He exits the room.

...

"Subaru-kun... Just now, I felt a powerful presence."

...

"Do you know something about this?" He inquires with serious tone.

...

I avert my face from him.

"So, you do know..."

...

"Mind telling me about it?" He demands the answer from me.

...

"I-I don't know... She came out of nowhere and—"

[Heart thumping]

!

" _Naughty Subaru..._ "

Wha-what...?

" _Despite my warnings, you still try to spill our secret._ "

I wasn't trying to tell him about _Return by Death_!

" _But you try to tell him about me. And I don't like that, Subaru-kun._ "

...

" _I'll let it slide once more. But if you try a stunt like this again, I might consider punishing you a little._ "

...

The time froze when she makes her appearance and the world lost its colours...

The moment she leaves, the world resumes.

...

Robin is standing in front me, waiting for my answer.

...

"Mind your own business."

The brunette man raises his eyebrow.

"Huh...? Wha—"

"I said; mind your own business. I don't need your help." I cut him.

Robin stares blankly at me.

"I see... Perhaps, I am not needed here."

The Prince of Thieves exits the room.

...

Now, I know...

Someone has been keeping me alive for some reason.

Whoever that person is, she is powerful enough to control life.

...

Does that mean I can't stay with these people...?

If I stay, Marina-san and Myriam-san will be in danger.

Forget Emilia-tan, I can't even live with other people...

...

I guess... I should leave...

I will walk away from all of them...

#Chapter End#

* * *

[Author's note]

That's all for this week's chapter.

Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 05

Chapter 05: Dragon Witch Cult

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

"Are you sure about this, Subaru-kun? It's so sudden..."

The woman in her late forties says to me.

I give her a smile.

"Don't worry, Myriam-san. I think I can handle myself from now on. I was just a freeloader. So, I should stop bothering your family with unnecessary burden."

Marina, her daughter, is looking sideways.

...

"Marina-san..." I call out to her.

The blond woman turns to face me.

"I'm sorry for causing so much trouble."

She let out a sigh.

"Yeah, you were causing a lot of trouble..."

[Glass break ~ in my mind only]

"Though, I wasn't trying to chase you out from our home. I was trying to make you into a better person." She says with tone of regret.

...

"Thanks, Marina-san. I'm glad that you don't actually hate me."

The young woman sighs tiredly.

"Why would I hate someone just because he's lazy and whiny...? You are annoying but you are far from being on my hate list."

[Glass break ~ in my mind only]

"Marina-san... That's kinda hurt..."

She tilts her head.

"Was I wrong...? I mean that literally describes you."

...

"Yeah... But hearing from another person is kinda... painful."

"Well, change yourself then." She puts her hands on her waist.

I chuckle at her remark.

"I'll try my best."

?

Suddenly, Myriam hands me a duffle bag.

"What's this...?" I ask her.

"It's just a little something for your journey. Hopefully, it helps." She says to me.

I nod.

"Thanks, Myriam-san. You really are a good person."

She giggles at my remark.

"My husband used to tell me that I'm noisy. You reminded me of myself when I was younger."

...

"Wait... So, you're saying that I'm noisy."

She giggles again.

"Yep...! That about does it!"

I let out a sigh.

"Okay... I'll be going now. Thanks for everything...!"

* * *

/~in the nearby alley~/

* * *

I'm here...

"You can come out now."

A small hooded character shows up.

...

"You are targeting me, right...?"

The newcomer removes his hood.

It was the white haired girl.

"How did you notice me...?"

...

You guys killed me four times in a row...

I give her a cocky smile.

"Let's just say I'm a psychic." I point at myself with my thumb.

The girl stares blankly at me.

"That's a lie."

?

"I can sniff lie from far." She claims with blank face.

...

"Well... Are you going to kill me?"

At my remark, she tilts her head.

...

Dammit, she's so cute...!

"I want to impress Mother by killing you... But, you can sense my presence. Something like that is very rare unless you are a former Servant."

?

That word again...

"Say, mind telling me what a 'Servant'...is?"

The girl tilts her head again.

...

Will she kill me if I hug her now...?

She looks so adorable!

...

And she killed me twice...!

For some reason, I didn't react to her like I react to Elsa.

...

?

Hey, that's strange...

Why I didn't loathe her like I loathed Elsa and Robin after they killed me?

"I guess Mother can explain that to you."

?

The girl suddenly pulls my shirt.

"Follow me. I will lead you to Mother."

...

!

I turn my head immediately.

...

I let out a sigh.

The big guy isn't here yet...

The last time I try to talk the girl; he came from the back and crushed my head...

"Amusing... You sensed my presence."

!

That voice...!

The air ripples and the Chinese man from previous encounter shows up.

"What an interesting young man. Not many can sense my presence even former Servants." He comments while keeping his hands under his robe.

"Isn't he, Shu Wen? Mother will want to see him." The girl responds to the newcomer.

...

Or perhaps, he was behind me the whole time...

"I believe Jeanne will be ecstatic. To think such a remarkable talent exist... Such a waste for being Satella's beloved." The Chinese man let out a sigh.

?

"Satella's beloved...? What are you talking about...?"

The man smirks.

"Ah, I see... You didn't know."

?

The girl pulls my shirt again.

"Hurry... Lu Bu is impatient. He will kill you if he sees you."

?

Lu Bu...?

That's a familiar name...

Where did I hear it?

Anyways, I let myself being pulled by the girl.

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

The Prince of Thieves is walking around the slums.

"Home, sweet home..." He smiles to himself.

He has lived there for several years.

The memories he made were enough to call the place his new home.

"Yo, Robin...! It's nice seeing you around again." A random passerby greets him.

"Yep...! It's good to be back."

The two of them bump fists.

"Say, I heard you and that Sasaki guy got recommended to be a knight. Is that true?" The random man asks.

The brunette man sighs.

"Yes... It's kinda annoying though..."

"That's amazing! To think a fellow slum dweller to be promoted as a noble..." The man muses.

Robin Hood simply shrugs at his remark.

"I'm not really that enthusiastic about being a knight. They are so uptight with rules."

His companion raises his eyebrow.

"Well, that's a major problem."

Once again, the Prince of Thieves sighs.

"Anyways, is Old Man Rom around? I need to talk to him."

The slum dweller nods.

"He's working on his garden along with Ton, Chin and Kan."

Robin scratches his head.

"Old Man Rom sure loves his vegetables."

* * *

/~in front of the loot house~/

* * *

A giant tanned man is heaving his farming tool.

Four other individual are working alongside him.

"Felt-dono, can you handle that basket? If not, I can carry it for you." Gaston, a large burly man offers to a small blond girl.

The girl, however, was reluctant to accept his offer.

She is struggling to carry the basket full of potatoes.

"No-no...thanks, Ton... I-I...can handle...this."

Despite what she said, Felt is actually on the verge of collapsing.

"Just give it up already." A man remarks on her pointless effort.

He has light blue and a bit pinkish hair.

His tongue slips out from his mouth.

"Shut up, Chin...! I can do this!" The blond girl states stubbornly.

Rachins, the light blue haired man snickers.

"Suit yourself."

"I bet she's going to spill the potatoes in fifty seconds."

A midget says while snickering.

"Nah... I'd say twenty." Chin responds to the small person.

[Crash]

"Looks like both of us were wrong, Chin." Camberley, the small person says with a hint of ridicule.

"Yep..." The blue haired former thug replies shortly.

"Oi...! Quit mocking me and pick up the potatoes!" The blond girl yells.

The giant tanned man can't help but to let out a sigh.

"You shouldn't force yourself to carry something that heavy, Felt." The aged man says to the girl.

Felt pouts at his remark.

"Yo, Old Man Rom...!"

The Prince of Thieves signifies his presence.

"Hmm...?" The man in question turns to face the newcomer.

"Robin...? What are ye' doing here? I thought you were busy with classes." The large man says.

The brunette man sighs as a reply.

"Something came up. Mind if I bother you for a sec...?"

Old Man Rom raises his eyebrow.

"Oi, Robin...! Stop ignoring my presence!" Felt yells.

The man in green clothing didn't aware that she was there.

"Oh, you were here. Sorry for not noticing you."

He starts ruffling her hair.

"Stop it...!"

She forcefully pushes Robin's hand away.

"Anyways, I need to talk to Old Man Rom in private."

The girl exchanges glances with the said old man.

"We can handle the crops, boss." The midget declares.

Chin, the white haired man simply shrugs.

"I'll leave the weeding to you." The large man nods.

Robin and Rom head to the loot house.

Suddenly, the two of them stop in their track.

"Why are you guys stopping?" The red eyed girl asks obliviously.

"Felt, this is a talk between men." Robin claims.

The girl snorts.

"Like I care..."

Robin proceeds to ruffle her hair.

"Cheeky little brat...!"

"Stop it...!"

She pushes away his hand again.

"Fine...! I'll let you have your manly talk. Don't come to me for help!"

She stomps her way back to the garden.

The Prince of Thieves let out a sigh.

"What a rude girl..." He says nonchalantly.

"It can't be helped. She was raised in hostile environment."

It was Old Man Rom's turn to sigh.

Robin snickers at his remark.

"Let's talk inside."

* * *

/~inside the pawnshop~/

* * *

The tanned man serves a glass of carrot juice.

"No milk, Old Man Rom...?" Robin says with a hint of humour.

"Want me to water it?"

"No thanks."

The two of them break into laughter.

"I still remember our first meeting. You gave me watered milk." The brunette man looks back at his past.

"Sorry about that. We were poor and it's the only drink we can afford." The large man replies.

"But seriously? You gave that kind of drink to a kid?"

Rom chuckles at his remark.

"You were a cheeky kid. That kind of milk suits you."

The Prince of Thieves downs his carrot juice in one go.

"Do you have to do that?" The old man asks while raising his eyebrow.

"Do what?"

"Drink it in one go. We got plenty of time to talk. So, what's the hurry?" The aged man inquires.

The archer in green clothing stares blankly at his empty glass.

"Hey, remember that annoying guy from a few days ago?"

The tanned man ponders about that question.

"Hmm... Are you talking about that Subaru boy?"

"That's the one."

Rom remains silent, waiting for Robin to talk.

"I really don't like him." The brunette man let out a sigh.

The large man takes out a dirty rag from under the counter.

"Now that's something I don't hear every day. You, Robin Hood, actually dislike someone...?"

The Prince of Thieves nods.

"I didn't hate him but... He's annoying! I crack a joke and he didn't even laugh. Just now, he told me to go away."

"Oh... You mean the time where you make Sasaki open that scroll?"

"That's the only time I crack a joke in his presence." The young man sighs again.

Rom starts wiping a random jug with the dirty rag.

"Maybe he got different sense of humour."

The brunette man snorts.

"Like what...? Saying his phone can predict the future...?"

The old man resumes working with different loot.

He didn't look at Robin while the young man talks, but he is paying attention.

"Speaking of the phone, you told me that thing wasn't a metia. Then, what was it?"

"It's a gadget. Let's just say it's something from a different world like that instant curry powder I gave you."

The tanned man quickly puts down the loot.

"It's the same as curry...?"

Robin tilts his head at Old Man Rom's remark.

"No, no, no, no...! It's not food! That thing can't be eaten!"

Rom let out a sigh.

"Here I thought I was going to make another curry..." He says in lamenting tone.

The young man sweat drops at his reaction.

"Anyways, I didn't come to complain about Subaru or talking about curry." The Prince of Thieves declares.

The aged man takes out a golden platter.

"Carry on. I'm listening."

He begins wiping the platter.

Robin takes his time to recompose himself.

"What do you know about Satella?"

[Clang]

Being surprised by his inquiry, Rom accidentally let go of the platter.

"Why do you want to know about the Jealous Witch?"

The young man stares at his empty glass.

"I think... I sense her."

[Creak]

The large man sits down on a chair.

"Your face tells me that you weren't messing around... I'll tell you what I know."

"Please do."

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

Okay, let's get thing sorted.

I was trying to learn something more from my assailant.

So, I went straight to where I first saw them, which is the alley.

I concluded that the one who killed Marina and me in the first walkthrough was this white haired girl.

She did appear in the last walkthrough, and she was the one who finished me off.

Aside from her, there's another guy who happens to be Chinese.

He was strong enough to crush my skull with his bare hands.

I assume that giant man is Lu Bu.

From the conversation, the white haired girl is Jack.

...

Wait... what?

Her name is Jack...?

That's... a very weird name for a girl...

"What's wrong, lad?" A man asks me.

"Ah...! It's nothing."

The one who just spoke is another Chinese man.

I learn about his existence in the last walkthrough.

Apparently, he can disappear and reappear at will.

And he is strong enough to kill Robin in one hit.

I've never heard his full name yet.

As far as I know, he is called Shuwen.

...

Chinese men...

Very familiar sounding names...

...

Well, let's forget about their names for now and focus on my current predicament.

I was trying to learn something from my killers.

Somehow, I'm being taken to their stronghold.

...

How the heck did that happen...!?

"We're here..." The white haired girl says in monotone.

Just now, we enter a portal, which lead us to this... weird dimension thingy...

It's a floating fortress.

Beneath it is nothingness...

[Gulp]

"Don't fall, lad. If you do, we don't know what will happen to you." The Chinese man warns me.

...

"You know... You are surprisingly chatty."

The man chuckles at my remark.

"I do enjoy talking!"

[Roar]

!

"What the—"

A giant skeleton dragon suddenly flies over us!

"A frost wyrm...? Medea is getting stronger by the day." The Chinese man comments nonchalantly.

...

"Hey, Shuwen-san... How can you remain calm when you saw that kind of creature?"

The man smirks.

"I can dispose it in one hit. After all, Second Strike is Needless!" He declares boldly.

...

Wait a sec...

There's only one guy in China dares to claim such thing...

Li Shuwen.

...

"What the heck...!? You're Master Li Shuwen...!"

"Hoh... So, you knew who I am."

Pride is clearly in that tone.

...

One of China's well known martial artists.

What is he doing here...!?

...

Lu Bu.

LU BU FENGXIAN!

The heck...!?

Isn't he one of those heroes in Romance of the Three Kingdom...!?

...

Who am I kidding...?

There's Robin Hood and Sasaki Kojirou.

It totally makes sense that people like Li Shuwen and Lu Bu exist in this world.

So, who is Medea?

And who is white haired girl?

The girl innocently glances at me.

"Aren't you going to see Mother? I thought you have a lot of questions."

!

"Oh yes...! Lead me to her."

The girl nods.

She leads me by my hand.

?

"Shuwen-san, aren't you coming?"

The Chinese man shakes his head.

"I'm afraid I'm not coming. That woman is too much for me."

?

* * *

/~after several minutes of walking~/

* * *

You know... this looks a lot like those cliché medieval Dracula castle.

Dark creepy corridors... check.

Spider webby ceilings... check.

Lightning striking every now and then...

[Lightning crackles]

Check.

A creepy girl staring straight at me...

Check.

...

Wait, the last one doesn't count...

Because she is so damn cute...!

"Your name..."

?

"Your name was..." The girl struggles to figure out my name.

"It's Subaru."

The girl tilts her head.

"It's Natsuki Subaru." I tell her with a smile.

...

What the heck is wrong with me...!?

She killed me once!

...

Somehow, I don't hate her...

And, I can't understand why.

She is a killer.

"Subaru-kun...?"

...

Screw it!

I'm going to jail!

"We're here."

?

There's a giant door right before us.

The girl beside me is fidgeting.

"What's wrong?"

"I was supposed to kill those affiliated with the Witch Cult. But I brought you here instead... Mother will not be pleased if she finds you annoying."

[Glass break ~ in my mind only]

"Why does everybody think I'm annoying...?"

I let out a sigh.

...

?

"Wait a sec... You think I'm affiliated with a Witch Cult...?"

The girl nods.

...

"Actually, I'm not even with a cult."

The girl tilts her head.

"Then, why are you so smelly?"

"I don't think I'm that stinky..."

The girl shakes her head.

"You reek of that Witch's stench."

...

She did say that in the first walkthrough...

"What do you mean?"

"You smell like Satella."

?

"Huh...?"

What is she talking about...?

Satella...?

Isn't that the name that Emilia-tan gave me once...?

...

"Let's put aside this 'smell like a witch' part. What's your name?"

Her name can't be Jack... can it?

The white haired girl shakes her head.

"I don't have a name."

?

"People only call me Jack." She adds while fidgeting.

...

"Why 'Jack'...? That's a guy's name."

She remains silent, fiddling with her fingers.

...

"You're not going to tell me anything, are you?"

She shakes her head.

...

"What do we have here?"

!

A deep masculine voice is audible from behind me.

It is a different voice from Lu Bu.

The accent is clearly different.

I quickly turn to face him.

A tall man with white hair and moustache is inspecting me with great interest.

"Such a strong smell... Who is this boy, Jack?"

His blue eyes turn their attention to the petite girl.

"He is Satella's beloved. I was going to kill him after letting Mother meet him in person."

!

"Oi, oi...! Ki-kill me...? I thought we were friends."

The girl tilts her head.

"We were...?"

"HAHAHAHA...!"

The man in black cloak begins laughing.

His laughter is accompanied by thunder.

"He is amusing. I would prefer to keep him alive as entertainment."

...

"I'll be heading to Volakia. Jeanne has decided that it needs to be destroyed."

"Ah... I see. Is Athraim tagging along...?" The girl asks.

"Of course...! He is egging for combat. It's about time we let him have his fun."

'Jack' nods.

"See you later, Uncle Vlad."

The man in black clothing smirks as he walks away.

The man's footsteps echo, signify his departure.

...

"Wait a sec... Uncle Vlad...?"

"Vladimir." She simply replies.

...

"HE'S COUNT DRACULA!?"

I knew this place was fishy...!

It was Dracula's castle after all!

"Ara... What a noisy piece of meat..."

?

That sounds like another girl.

I turn back to see the newcomer.

...

There's a pink haired girl, wearing frilly dress.

...

She got horns and a scaly tail...

"I guess I should shut his trap."

All of a sudden, she pulls out a microphone from thin air.

...

Wait a sec...

That's not a microphone...!

That's a halberd!

[CLANG]

"Ara...? What are you doing, Jack? Don't you see I'm trying to squash a bug?"

...

The white haired girl blocked the halberd using her knives.

As for me, I fell on my butt.

'Jack' pushes away the pink haired girl.

"Mother needs to see him, Lizzy."

"I don't think Jeanne wants to see a noisy bug." The other girl makes a nonchalant remark.

...

[CREAK]

Suddenly, the giant door opens by its own.

" _Come inside, Natsuki Subaru._ "

An ominous female voice is audible.

...

"Go ahead, Subaru-kun. Mother is calling." The girl in rags says in monotone.

...

I got a bad feeling about this...

" _Don't go, Subaru...!_ "

[Heart thumping]

!

You...!

What are you doing!?

" _She's dangerous...! Don't go there...! I'll take you somewhere safe!_ "

" _Unfortunately Satella, you're in my territory._ "

Abruptly, a black flame passes through my chest.

" _Why you—_ "

" _Get out of my castle._ "

...

The world moves normally again.

Just now, I witness a battle between two powerful beings.

"Hey bug... Are you waiting for me to squash you?"

The girl in frilly dress says with a smile.

...

"No thanks, Lizzy."

The girl blinks at my remark.

It's probably because I used her nickname.

I stand up on my feet.

I turn towards the newly open corridor.

...

Here goes nothing...

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

A samurai is standing in front of a training dummy.

In his hand, a meter long steel blade is present.

It is a rapier.

"I would prefer a katana... But beggars don't get to choose."

He let out a sigh.

The man in white clothing raises the blade up to his eye level.

His clothing is an imitation to the Royal Guard uniform.

He is only a squire.

However, he is a squire under the recommendation of a Royal Guard.

His skills are top notched, unmatched by none.

Perhaps, he can be matched by some of the Royal Guards.

Or perhaps, there is one far above him.

Reinhard van Astrea.

Once, the samurai seeks this man in order to enjoy the magnificence of swordplay.

However, he was presented with disappointment.

The young man of van Astrea family is not a swordsman in his view.

Every move, every tactics...

The samurai was baffled.

He knew this world was unfair.

Never once he felt so humiliated.

They have crossed sword.

Sasaki Kojirou prided himself with his 'unreadable' skills.

However, his swordsmanship was repelled by the world itself.

His opponent didn't take him seriously.

Their bout was a mockery to swordsmanship.

When Sasaki fought Reinhard, it was not a fight or a mock battle.

It was challenging a god.

No.

It wasn't challenging a god.

It was challenging the world itself.

The world favours Reinhard, thus, giving the young man with every blessing the world has to offer.

He knew Reinhard was a good person.

However, he abhors the blessings given to the young man.

"He can never enjoy swordsmanship." He laments the fate of the Sword Saint.

The samurai despises this new world for taking away the joy of swordplay from Reinhard.

He closes his eyes and focus on his technique.

" _Hiken..._ "

His feet move.

" _Tsubame Gaeshi...!_ "

[Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh]

Three blades appear and cut the dummy into three parts.

The former samurai flicks his sword and sheathes it.

[Hand clapping]

"As diligent as always, Sasaki..."

The newcomer continues clapping as he walks closer.

"Kirei-dono, is there anything I can help you with...?" Sasaki addresses the man.

"We have a situation."

* * *

/~meeting in war room~/

* * *

Several men were already present inside the room when the former priest and the former samurai arrive.

"You're late, Kotomine." A man comments on their tardiness.

"I apologize, Captain Marcos. My squire seems to enjoy his tour around the barrack." The Japanese knight claims.

Sasaki simply nods, proving Kirei's point.

"No matter... Have a seat, Kotomine."

The former samurai recognizes some of the men sitting next to the captain.

One of the men is Heinkel van Astrea, the vice captain of the Royal Guards and father to Reinhard.

Next to him is his own son, Reinhard.

As a squire, Sasaki is not allowed to sit with the rest of the knights.

Therefore, he stands beside the other squires.

A black haired young man with a beauty mark under his left eye smiles at him.

The former samurai simply smiles back.

It was one of his sparring mates.

Diarmuid Ua Duibnhe, a squire under the recommendation of Sir Felix Argyle.

Aside from him, Sasaki also sparred against Siegfried.

He knew they were former Servants similar to him.

Their circumstances were odd.

However, their meeting was a blessing itself.

Both men were capable fighters.

Their bouts were 'a dream comes to true' to the former samurai.

He only wishes that his bout with Reinhard would have been the same.

"Dragon Witch Cult..." Marcos Gildark begins the convention.

"A new cult...?" Kirei questions his superior.

The man in question nods.

"Recently, several settlements were ransacked by strange duos. Their numbers are not many. However, their strength is on another level."

The three former Servants listen attentively.

"We lost a hundred and fifty seven Royal Guards. Their corpses were mutilated beyond recognition." The captain scowls.

"What is their purpose...?" Kirei suddenly inquires.

The leader of the Royal Guards shakes his head.

"We have no info regarding that."

"Perhaps Sir Reinhard could put a stop to it!" A random knight suggests to the gathering.

The young man was scowling the whole time.

Outside his knowledge, innocent lives were sacrificed.

Captain Marcos shakes his head.

"No. Reinhard alone won't be able to solve this. We made that mistake with the plague."

[Inaudible chatter]

"Captain Marcos is right, _nya_ ~. You people keep depending on Reinhard."

A cat eared knight declares with cat paw gesture.

"We shouldn't take light of this new threat. They slaughtered hundreds of our men." A purple haired young man adds his two cent.

"They are clearly showing their strength. Sir Reinhard should able to vanquish them once he reaches them." Another random knight joins the fray.

"The problem is... how?" Reinhard enters the conversation.

The meeting room suddenly goes silent.

"The plague was a proof of my incompetence. Maybe I can defeat the enemy. However, my strength is moot if I can't find the enemy."

[Indistinct chattering]

"What if someone stronger than me appears...?" The red haired young man inquires.

"That's preposterous...!" Another knight claims.

"You are the strongest Sword Saint ever exist aside from the First...!"

Reinhard's scowl becomes imminent.

"You are chosen by this world! You have all the Blessings in this world!"

The Sword Saint bites his lips out of frustration.

"SHUT UP...!"

The room becomes silent once more.

The one who yelled was Felix Argyle.

"You people put so much pressure on Reinhard. Don't you know that he is troubled?"

"What do you mean...?" Heinkel speaks for the first time.

The cat eared knight recomposes himself.

"Reinhard lost most of his Blessings."

#Chapter End#

* * *

[Author's note]

Happy new year!

Truthfully, I could just upload this chapter back in 1st Jan.

But, I got lazy and rather spend my time doing something else.

Anyways, this chapter may sound like Reinhard bashing but I wasn't bashing him.

It we look from the story perspective, Reinhard is not actually a person.

He's literally a puppet with the power to do anything.

So, I'm turning him into a character.

If anybody wants to complain about nerfing him... let's just say I'm going to ignore them.

I like Reinhard.

But if I retain him as he is, there won't be any story.

I could just have him storm the enemy stronghold and be done with it.

He is strong enough to do that with the amount of nonsensical Blessings he possessed.

Don't worry about the lore changing stuff.

I already check the lore and I found a loop hole behind Divine Protections.

Just wait and see.

It will be explained in the next two chapters.

Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 06

Chapter 06: Choices and Paths

* * *

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

[Footsteps echo]

...

With each step I took, the world becomes darker.

I feel like I have been here before...

...

I turn my head to see my previous route.

...

The corridor... it's gone.

There is no sign of that giant door.

...

I don't know what will happen.

I just hope that I can survive this.

...

What am I saying?

I have _Return by Death_.

I can survive this even if I got killed.

...

Can I?

...

[Footsteps echo]

I resume walking.

So far, I returned from death for several times.

In the first event, it took me five walkthrough to get it right.

What about this one?

I survive the first day and now in the second day.

I didn't get killed by 'Jack' or Lu Bu this time around.

But I am taken to their stronghold.

The woman who always showed up whenever I am about to talk regarding _Return by Death_ was expelled from this place.

Who is that woman?

Whoever she is, she is strong enough to freeze time.

...

Wait a sec...

She can't be the one who is keeping me alive... can she?

If she is expelled, does that mean I can't _Return by Death_ anymore...?

"Precisely..."

!

All of a sudden, I heard a woman's voice.

"You do realize that you were about to crash into a wall, do you not?"

?

I try touching in front of me.

...

There is a wall.

I couldn't see it in this darkness.

"Allow me to aid you with that."

Abruptly, several bonfires light up.

...

The flame... it is blue...

Despite the colour of the flame, the bonfires were lighting the room.

A blond woman with golden eyes is watching me with a smirk.

She sat on a throne-like seat.

Beside her, there's another blond woman, almost identical to her.

...

I think the second one is a girl.

I mean, she's petite and her breasts are smaller compare to her 'sister'.

Both of them are wearing black gown.

"So, you're Natsuki Subaru."

The blond woman speaks.

...

It's the same voice I heard earlier...

"Have a seat."

!

All of a sudden, a chair appears behind me.

...

COOL!

It's like every other fantasy setup where the protagonist is brought to meet the final boss!

"You are not very bright, are you?" The blond girl in black gown speaks for the first time.

?

The petite girl walks down from the throne-like place.

The other female simply smirks as she remains seated.

Now, the younger looking girl is in front of me.

What is she going to do?

"She said; have a seat."

?

!

I fall down to the chair.

...

She pushed me...

"Altria, that's enough. You don't have to rough him up." The mature version of her speaks.

"The mere sight of this buffoon is pissing me off." The girl replies.

...

A buffoon...?

That's quite an ancient word...

Nobody used that word anymore.

...

Wait... she's mocking me, isn't she?

[Finger click]

?

!

Suddenly, a table appears before me!

And there's a variety of dishes on it!

I recognize some of it.

These are French dishes!

And these are the types served in five star restaurants!

[Footstep]

?

The woman finally removes herself from the throne.

She is walking towards me.

"We're going to eat with this fool...?"

The blond girl let out a sigh before taking a seat.

When she reaches the table, another chair appears.

"Mind if I join?"

?

"Uh... Sure...?"

You're the master of this place.

Why are you asking me that kind of question?

She slowly takes her seat.

Her alluring long hair floats for a second.

[Heart thumping]

…

I'd be lying if I say she's not beautiful.

?

Several wine glasses float over to the table.

[Finger click]

A tanned man in butler suit appears.

"Wine, my ladies...?"

...

Seems like your typical macho guy...

With his white hair slicked back...

Those six packs under that butler suit...

Grey steel eyes as sharp as an eagle...

Grr...

"Yes, please."

The man pours the said alcoholic drink into their glasses.

...

They didn't offer me any drink...?

"What do you want to drink, Subaru-kun?" The blond woman suddenly asks.

...

"Uh... maybe a fruit juice or something similar..."

"Heh..." The tanned man snorts.

...

He disappears and reappears with a jug fill with seemingly orange juice.

...

"How fast does this guy work...!?"

The blond woman giggles at my reaction.

"Emiya anticipated that you would come up with such vague answer. Since you are underage, we can't be giving you heavy drinks."

...

"How noisy... I'll cut his head off." The blond girl beside her makes a comment.

Suddenly, she pulls out a sword out of thin air!

"Eek...!"

Thankfully, the blond woman stops her just in time.

"Now, now Altria... Don't kill off my guest."

She gives me a sultry smirk.

...

Was she...?

"I'll be in the kitchen." The macho butler disappears from the scene.

...

"Let us introduce ourselves. My name is Jeanne. You may also call me the Dragon Witch." The blond woman introduces herself.

?

"Dragon Witch...?"

The woman nods.

...

Jeanne...?

Isn't that the name those other guys keep talking about...?

"Aren't you going to eat...?" She suddenly asks me.

"Oh...!"

I quickly take a fork and a knife.

?

"Aren't you guys going to eat...?"

Jeanne closes her eyes and takes her own set of fork and knife.

I turn to the other female present in the scene.

"I hate French food." She simply comments.

...

I take a lobster dish and attempt to take some part of it.

...

I wait for one of them to eat.

Maybe there's something in the food...

There's a chance they might put something to control me.

"Why would you think of that?" Jeanne suddenly speaks.

...

"You... you can read my mind."

She gives me a smirk.

"Yes, I can."

...

"You have no reason to fret. Emiya is a good cook. He would never tolerate any form of contamination to his dishes."

...

"O-okay... Then, why does she hate it?" I point at the blond girl.

"Altria prefers greasy food."

...

So her name is Altria...

I got no reason to hesitate.

It's not every day I can enjoy a five star French meal.

* * *

/~after meal~/

* * *

That was amazing...!

I'm glad I can indulge myself with such magical feast!

"Can I kill him now?"

"BUH...!"

The self-proclaimed Dragon Witch giggles at our antics.

"Altria-chan... That's not a good joke." I tell her.

"What did you call me?"

?

"Altria-chan... Isn't that your name...?"

!

She pulls out a sword out of thin air!

"I'll kill you."

"Eek...! Save me, Jeanne-san!"

I hide behind the blond woman.

"Subaru-kun, don't add –chan behind her name. She is around my age to be precise." She simply remarks.

...

"Eh...?"

Doesn't that mean that Altria is a woman...?

...

That must be one painful life...

She didn't grow to be a well-endowed woman.

Such a shame...

"Subaru-kun, that's very rude."

Jeanne suddenly says.

"Eh...? Oh, I forgot you can read my mind..."

She giggles again.

The petite girl, I mean, woman, is sheathing her sword into thin air.

?

How does that work?

Is that some form of magic?

...

COOL!

I wonder if she could teach me that...

"So, how do you fare in this world?" The blond woman in black gown suddenly inquires.

?

That's a sudden question...

"Why do you want to know?" I ask her.

"I'm just curious." She gives me a sultry smirk.

...

"Can I sit first...?"

She gestures her wine glass.

Meanwhile, Altria is looking at me with disgust.

...

I ignore the petite woman and sit on my previous seat.

The beautiful woman is waiting for my answer.

"To answer that question, I had a bad experience."

Jeanne's facial expression is telling me to keep going.

"Ever since I arrived in this world, many bad things happen to me. I met many awesome people. But..."

I avert my face.

I'm just... a side character.

All of them were amazing.

Sasaki, Kirei, and Robin...

Perhaps Emilia-tan and Felt can do more than I can.

I saw Felt use her ability to sprint as fast as gust before...

What about me?

I can do jack...

I don't have super strength.

I don't have magic.

I got nothing...

Except for—

" _Return by Death_..."

!

"How did you—"

"I told you I can read your mind. It's okay to spill it out." Jeanne interjects before I could finish asking.

...

But if I do—

"Satella can't do a thing to you here. This is my territory."

?

"Who is Satella?" I ask her.

The blond woman swirls her wine glass.

"The Jealous Witch..."

?

"You can conclude that she is one of the ten creatures in this world that can match my power. Out of all ten, she is the most despised by the people of Lugnica." She informs me.

?

"What do you mean...?"

Emilia-tan once told me to call her Satella...

Does that mean she wants me to hate her?

Why...?

"Ah... So you desire for that half-elf. How curious..."

!

"Jeanne-san...! Stop reading my mind...! It-it's kinda embarrassing."

She simply gives me a smirk.

"It's okay. I understand. It's only normal for a young man like you to desire a woman." She closes her eyes.

...

This is so embarrassing...

"Allow me to satisfy your curiosity." The Dragon Witch suddenly says.

"Emilia, the half-elf, has always been the target for the Satella's Witch Cult for many years. Therefore, her acquaintances are always in danger. To avoid another tragedy, she prefers to keep people away from her."

...

That girl...

She always thinks about others before herself...

...

?

"Wait a sec... Satella's Witch Cult...? You sound like there's more than one cult in this world."

The blond self-proclaimed witch smirks again.

"Well... I'm a witch myself. I have my own cult."

...

"Figures..."

...

"Jeanne-san... A friend of mine once told me that a witch is despised by everyone and being labelled as a witch is the epitome of loathing. Why are you so casual with your witch title?"

She closes her eyes.

"Like I care..."

...

I guess I should try asking her about what I don't know...

The last few times I try to say it, that woman will come out and stop me.

...

Let me try—

"I have _Return by Death_."

...

I-I can say it aloud...

"I told you before, that Satella can't do a thing to you here." Jeanne claims haughtily.

...

"Are you saying that she is the one who's been keeping me alive?"

The blond woman nods.

...

"So if I die here... I won't be returning from death."

"Not if I have something to say about it."

?

"What...? You think Satella is the only one who can morph reality? All witches can do the same."

...

What the heck...

"Despite what I said, most of the Witches of Sins were killed about four hundred years ago by Satella."

?

"Witches of Sins...?"

This is getting better and better.

I think I am a protagonist now.

I mean, here am I talking to one of the most powerful beings in this world, discussing about saving the world from unknown force of darkness.

"Keep dreaming, Subaru-kun."

The woman giggles.

...

"Seriously Jeanne-san... Stop reading my mind."

She giggles again.

"I can't help it. Your mind is very amusing to say."

I let out a sigh.

...

"By sins, did you mean the seven deadly sins of Christianity?"

The woman nods.

"This world has a unique sense of humour. Each Witch is represented by the general seven known sins. However, the most powerful is Envy...?"

She let out a chuckle.

...

"I think it refers to _yandere_ -ism. I watched quite a lot of anime and _yandere_ scares the hell out of me."

At my remark, Jeanne raises her eyebrow.

"You don't get it, do you?" I say to her.

She reluctantly swirls her wine glass.

"Emiya, come over here."

She suddenly calls for the butler.

"What is it, Jeanne?"

The macho man appears beside her.

"You once told me about _tsundere_. How does a _yandere_ work?"

?

The heck...?

The butler whispers to her ear.

"Ah... I see."

The tanned man quietly disappears into darkness.

"Emiya explained to me about the concept of _yandere_ -ism. So, this world is saying that by being envious can make you the most powerful being in this plane of existence."

...

Sounds stupid...

"I arrived at the same conclusion." Jeanne puts down her wine glass.

...

"Anyways Subaru-kun, how well versed are you with the sins of Christianity?"

She asks while clasping her hands on the table.

...

Ooh... I think I could see some cleavage...

"Naughty Subaru..."

"Sorry...! Can't help it...!"

The beautiful woman giggles.

"No wonder Satella likes you. You are so adorable."

...

It feels... kinda weird... to be called cute.

"Forget about my cleavage for a sec. Focus on what I'm going to say now."

?

"How much do you know about the sins of Christianity?"

...

"Well... I know the seven deadly sins; Pride, Greed, Envy, Lust, Sloth, Gluttony and Wrath."

She closes her eyes.

"The basics..." She mutters.

?

"You have no idea how shallow those terms were..."

...

"So, you're saying that these sins are not accurate?"

"Perhaps..." She opens her eyes.

"Have you heard of 'Vainglory'?"

...

"I think I have... I thought it was similar to Pride."

She shakes her head.

"Not quite... Vainglory is different from Pride. The sin of Pride refers to those who believe they are the centre of the world."

I nod.

"As for Vainglory, this particular sin labels those who seek glory. They believe their achievements should be acknowledged whether big or small."

...

That's—

"Basically, it's you." She smirks at me.

...

"Vainglory is the source of Pride. Denying their Pride will lead to Wrath. Should others are better than them, it will lead to Envy. Even after being recognized by their peers, they wish for more. This leads to Greed. They want to be acknowledged by everyone. Once it is done, that person will fall to Sloth. Wanting more than just acknowledgement, they indulge in food and sexual desire. This will lead to Gluttony and Lust."

...

I—

"Fear not, Subaru-kun. Being sinful is not the end of the world. That is what we call living. We can't be free from sin."

...

"I didn't notice that... You mean, all this time... I was—"

"Seeking for glory..." She completes my sentence.

...

"The world isn't fair. Some are born with talents. Some are favoured by the world. Is that fair...?"

?

"Jeanne... You are getting off topic."

She giggles at my remark.

"Maybe..."

She smirks at me.

...

"Subaru, do you think I am evil?"

?

"Huh...? That's an odd question."

The blond woman removes herself from her seat.

She walks towards the wall.

Altria slowly follows her lead.

Both of them place their hands on the wall.

[Crackle]

!

Suddenly, lines start forming on the wall.

The lines were made by blue flame.

After shaping a rectangular-like profile, the wall morphs, revealing a scene.

...

It was a scene of a razed settlement.

"This is the doing of my subordinates."

!

"What...!?"

I stand up.

"Don't jump to conclusion, Subaru-kun. Allow me to explain it."

Jeanne twirls her right index finger at the flaming screen.

More scenes of destruction were displayed.

...

"Where are you going with this?"

She gives me a sultry smirk.

"The world is dying."

?

"This world is dying from the number of intruders. It's been the centre of attraction since six hundred and sixty six years ago."

...

That number—

"We are not the only interlopers in this beautiful world. There are others scattered all over the place."

?

"Wait... Are you saying you came from a different world as well?"

Jeanne nods.

"However, the world I came from was already on the verge of destruction. I was transported here at the brink of extinction, only to find this world is heading to the same fate." She says in lamenting tone.

...

"One of the main reasons for this upcoming apocalypse is Satella."

?

"Satella has the power to warp reality. She's been using her power since around five hundred years ago."

?

How did she know all these stuff?

"Jeanne-san, are you that old?"

The woman's face contorts in anger.

"What did you say, Subaru-kun?"

...

She's going to kill me!

Women are very sensitive with age!

"I'll let it slide for now."

She let out a 'humph'.

...

You know, that's kinda cute...

?

For some reason, Jeanne averts her face...

"A-anyways, Satella is destroying the world with her powers. However, she wasn't the only harbinger. There is another one, a person who calls himself Emijah."

?

"This man has been an oddity for so long. His sole wish is to destroy all living creatures. The question is... why?"

...

"Maybe he's the standard cliche villain."

At my remark, Jeanne turns to face me.

"You know... He's an evil man with enough power to destroy the world. So, why not do so? Basically, he's the basic Demon King for every RPG in existence."

The woman ponders about it.

...

"That is the stupidest reasoning I ever heard." Altria finally speaks.

"I know, right? Every RPG games have this kind of villain. It's kinda redundant."

The two women exchange glances.

"I'll Excaliblast that bastard once I see him."

"Please do."

Jeanne let out a sigh.

"All those plotting, all those massacre... He is only doing it just because he can...? What a load of bull crap!" The woman curses.

...

"Well... I don't really know his reasoning. But, he's kinda giving me the vibe of a cliché Demon King."

The blond woman walks toward her seat.

...

"Jeanne-san, you still didn't explain why you commanded your subordinates to attack those settlements."

She takes a seat and fetches her wine glass.

"There were cultists in those settlements."

?

"Both Satella's and Emijah's cultists are all over the place. Vanquishing them is quite a chore." She let out another sigh.

...

"Subaru-kun, would you like to be a hero?"

!

"That's kinda a sudden offer... What do I have to do?"

She simply smirks at me.

"It's simple. But you'll have to dirty your hand."

...

[Gulp]

I swallow my nervousness.

"If it's about saving the world and I can do something about it, let me in."

!

The Dragon Witch suddenly flings a knife at me.

[Plunge]

The knife was embedded beside me, in the chair's cushion.

...

"Jeanne-san... That's cruel. I almost had a heart attack."

She giggles at my remark.

I pull the knife, no, dagger from the wall.

?

" _Poignard de mort_..." She says with glee.

...

"Why are you speaking in French?"

I can recognize French language.

Anime does use random parts of foreign language.

The words she just said is, 'dagger of death'.

At least according to the stuff I read before...

I don't know if it's accurate or not.

"Stab Reinhard with that dagger..."

?

...

"WHAT...!?"

Reinhard, as in, the REINHARD...!?

"Yes. I mean it." The woman says with calm tone.

...

"Why...?"

"To prove your loyalty and sincerity..."

?

"Everything has its purpose. However, Reinhard is not needed in this grand plan. Disposing him is a must."

...

But I like that guy...

...

"I'm very sorry, Jeanne-san. But I can't do it. There's no way I'm killing a good guy."

Besides, Reinhard can totally whoop my ass if I tried.

The woman remains smirking.

"I see... Well then, our chat is over. It's nice to talk with you."

?

"Can I kill him now...?"

!

"No. We shall let him go. It's not fair for us to kill him after taking so much of his time." Jeanne stops Altria from killing me.

...

"Listen, Subaru-kun. I really like you. So, I'll let you go. My subordinates, however, might want to kill you. So, you'd better find someone strong enough to save your skin."

!

"Oh... By the way, hopefully Satella isn't pissed. In fact, she might kill you once you are outside of my castle."

!

"You got to be kidding me!"

The blond woman giggles.

"Well, there's a chance she'll forgive you. Let's just hope you can appease that jealous woman. After all, what's more dangerous than a _yandere_?"

...

I'm so dead...

"Goodbye, Subaru-kun."

The Dragon Witch waves her hand at me.

"Wait—"

In a blink of an eye, I fell into darkness.

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

Where am I?

...

Am I dead...?

But, it feels so safe and comfy...

...

Wait a sec...

I know this feeling.

"Puck...!"

!

I was about to sit up but was forced to lie down.

?

The one forcing me to lie down didn't have hairy hand.

...

Could it be...?

It's the legendary lap pillow...!

"Seriously Subaru-kun... Stop making me worried."

?

That voice...

"Emilia-tan...?"

I turn to see her face.

The silver haired girl smiles radiantly at me.

"You are always looking for trouble, aren't you?"

...

"I'm sorry."

!

She pinched my cheek.

"I would prefer to be thanked rather than an apology."

...

"Okay... Thanks."

The silver haired girl smiles again.

...

"Come to think of it, where are we...?"

The place seems a bit strange.

As if the world is not made of colour.

...

"You don't need to worry about that. You are safe now." She says to me.

...

"Emilia-tan, I got a question."

"What is it, Subaru-kun?"

"Since when did you call me by my name...?"

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

"Since when...? Technically, I've been calling you that since we first met."

...

That's not Emilia-tan's voice...

In fact, that sounds like—

I slowly open my eyes.

Green eyes are looking straight into my face.

...

Without further ado, I deliver the strongest punch I could afford!

[Smack]

* * *

/~after that punch~/

* * *

"That's so mean of you... Why did you punch me...?"

Robin Hood asks while caressing his slightly bruised face.

Luckily, he wasn't giving me a lap pillow.

Otherwise, I might go crazy.

He was crouching when he found me lying around in the slums.

"I was having a good dream. Then, you show up and spoil it." I say grumpily.

The Prince of Thieves pouts.

"The heck...? All I did is asking why you were there."

He let out a sigh.

"Well, back to my question; why are you here?"

...

?

"To tell the truth, I have no idea... The last thing I remember is Jeanne tossing me into blackness."

"Jeanne...?" The brunette man raises his eyebrow.

...

Oh crap...

She said her subordinates will come and kill me!

"Subaru-kun...!"

!

All of a sudden, Robin pulls my arm.

[Plunge]

?

...

Several knives embedded the place where I used to stand.

"Yo, kid...! I don't know what your problem with Subaru-kun is, but killing him isn't the answer."

The Prince of Thieves pulls out his dagger.

From the shadows, a figure surges towards us.

[Clang]

The brunette thief blocks an attack from the shadowy figure.

...

It's 'Jack'.

[Clang, clang, clang, clang]

After trading several hacks and slashes, the white haired girl backpedals.

A facial expression is clearly on her face.

She's... angry.

"Subaru-kun, you denied Mother's wish."

...

So Jeanne is her mother.

"Huh...? You know her...?" Robin asks me while pointing his dagger at the girl.

...

"I will kill you for this insolence...!"

!

She dashes towards me.

[CLANG]

Robin blocks her latest strike.

"Tch...!" She clicks her tongue.

"I don't know what's going on, but hands off my pal."

The Prince of Thieves pulls out a bow from under his green cloak.

Ignoring Robin's action, 'Jack' resumes aiming for me.

[Smack]

Robin smacks the white haired girl using his bow.

She jumps away from the unexpected attack.

"Who says we can't use a bow in close range?" He gives her a smirk.

...

"Hey, that's not very gentleman of you, Robin."

"You still got time to criticize me when she's clearly aiming to kill you...!?"

"I'm just joking."

Robin let out a sigh.

"Well, little girl... I'm going to give you two choices; fight and die, or escape with your life."

The girl pulls out another set of knives.

"I see..."

Robin pulls out an arrow from under his cloak.

"You are fast, little girl. But you won't survive this."

Ignoring Robin's threat, 'Jack' tosses the knives in her hands.

?

[Smack]

"Guh...!"

I was sent flying several meters.

What the heck, Robin...!?

He kicked me!

" _Bow of Prayer: Yew Bow."_

A green striking light flies in front of my eyes.

...

[Thud]

A body fell down from the aftermath.

It was 'Jack'.

The Prince of Thieves let out a sigh.

...

"You... you killed her..."

The man shakes his head.

"Nope... She got lucky."

?

As soon as I turn my head, the little girl is struggling to stand up.

"She managed to parry my arrow at the nick of time."

"You... How did you possess your Noble Phantasm?"

Robin smirks at her.

"I always have it with me. My Noble Phantasm is not my bow but my arrows. I can create as many arrows as possible. The concept of 'Yew Bow' is part of me."

...

I have no idea what they were talking about...

"That being said; you got a few days before that poison fully kills you. So, run along."

?

The girl picks herself up and disappears into the darkness of night.

...

"Robin, what just happened?"

"I saved your ass. That's what happened."

...

I'm not sure if I'm out of the danger yet...

Speaking of danger, what happened to Satella?

She didn't show up...

...

I guess she is letting me live for the time being...

* * *

/***Interlude***/

* * *

Two men are walking side by side.

One is a knight while the other one is a squire.

Both were equipped with the finest steel the kingdom can offer.

The knight is also carrying another sword.

Its name is Reid, the infamous weapon of the Sword Saints.

"Reinhard-dono, do you mind if I speak?" The squire inquires.

The squire has his purple hair tied in ponytail.

"No, I don't. What is it, Kojirou?" The red haired knight asks.

The former samurai closes his eyes.

"When Felix-sama declared to us that you lost most of your Blessings, you look so frustrated. Mind explaining why?"

The van Astrea heir purses his lips.

"Forgive me if I'm intruding but I can't help it. You are acting very tense lately despite being in a usual patrol."

They were put together under the suggestion of one Kotomine Kirei.

Sasaki Kojirou was an excellent swordsman.

Even among the established knights, his skills are unmatched.

Only Reinhard was able to keep up with him.

No.

Reinhard was above him.

However, that was before he lost his Blessings.

The Reinhard right now is not as powerful as his former self.

"I feel... insecure."

The red haired young man let out.

The squire simply remains silent.

"Those Blessings... Those Divine Protections... They were part of me for so long. Losing those means losing part of my soul... The question is; why now? Lugnica is in the worst possible condition. With so many threats, my power is needed. Why I lost them now?"

The former samurai contemplates for his next words.

"People are dying... And I can't do a thing to help them. The only thing I can do is fight. If you take away that, what am I?"

"..."

That was the last straw for the samurai.

He steps away a good four meters.

"Kojirou, what are you doing?"

The squire ignores Reinhard's question and pull out his blade.

"Draw your sword." He simply says.

The red haired knight was confused by Sasaki's action.

"What is the meaning of this, Kojirou?"

"I said; draw your sword."

Reluctantly, the Sword Saint draws his steel blade.

 **[Insert Soundtrack ~ Fate/ Unlimited Code – Tempest Knight]**

The two swordsmen take their stances.

"Kojirou, I—"

Ignoring Reinhard's last attempt to dissuade him, Sasaki moves.

[CLANG]

The red haired knight blocks the former samurai's slash.

It was unlike Sasaki's normal style.

He was aggressive.

[Clang, clang, clang, clang]

All slashes were parried.

Reinhard was fighting defensively.

Unlike their previous spar, he felt pressured.

[Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang]

Reinhard tries his best to keep up with the former samurai.

Without his Divine Protection against Advent Attacks, Sasaki's moves seem very capricious.

The Sword Saint can't even guess Sasaki's next move.

[Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang]

Yet, despite the skilful opposition, Reinhard stands his ground.

Something starts to well up in him.

[Clang, clang, clang, clang]

With each strikes, with each parries, something is building in his chest.

[Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang]

The red haired young man couldn't understand it.

[Clang, clang, clang, clang]

He parries away an attempt to behead him.

[Clang, clang, clang]

Reinhard starts to strike back.

He refuses to be in the defence for the whole bout.

[CLANG]

Their weapons interlock.

"Heh... So, you're finally smiling." The former samurai suddenly says.

The knight was confused by Sasaki's statement.

Reinhard glances at the reflection of his own blade.

He was smiling.

Deciding that it was enough, the squire backpedals.

The two men glance upward, toward the moon.

"It's a beautiful night, is it not, Reinhard-dono?"

"Yes, it is."

The squire sheathes his sword.

"Kojirou, what just happened?"

The red haired noble was still confused by the event.

Why does he feel so content?

He was pressured, yet he was so... blissful.

"That, my friend, is the joy of swordfight."

Yes.

It is something stolen from Reinhard for so long.

It was the pleasure of a fight.

The Sword Saint observes his own reflection once again.

"I... I was missing this?"

The former samurai replies with a smirk.

"..."

The young man was speechless.

He was so absorbed with saving people that he forgot about his own wellbeing.

He wasn't living.

Reinhard was not living until this fateful day.

Now, he is human.

"Even without those Blessings, you are a powerful swordsman, Reinhard van Astrea. You have no need for such advantages to protect the people." The former samurai says to him.

The knight smiles genuinely for the first time since he lost his Blessings.

"I see..."

He sheathes his sword.

"Thank you, Kojirou, for saving me from my own despair."

"Iya, iya... All I did is trying to have fun." He replies with his smirk.

Reinhard may lose most of his Blessings.

However, he still retains his Divine Protection of Sword Saint.

Generally speaking, he is still the strongest swordsman in Lugnica.

"That being said, you are not alone in this, Reinhard-dono. You have allies to back you."

The red haired young man smiles at his companion.

"You are correct. Why can't I see that earlier?"

He offers his hand to the former samurai.

"Kojirou, if I may, I want a favour from you."

Sasaki raises his eyebrow.

"Call me by my first name. Please drop the honorific."

The Japanese squire closes his eyes.

"I see..."

He moves closer to the knight and receives his hand.

"Very well... I shall address you as Reinhard from now on."

"Thank you, Kojirou."

* * *

/***Interlude 2***/

* * *

Two men are watching the duo from above.

"It went well."

One of the men comments on the event.

" _Yorokobe kyoudai_... Your wish is granted."

The other man says.

"I swear to the dragon, Kotomine. You are annoying."

"And I will always be, Heinkel."

#Chapter End#

* * *

[Author's note]

I dunno what you guys think of this chapter.

Personally, this is my favorite chapter so far.

That's all for this week's chapter!

Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 07

[Author's note]

Sorry for being late guys.

I got busy today.

Here's the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 07: My life as a bystander

* * *

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

This is awkward...

Currently, I'm sitting in front on a counter.

What's so awkward about it?

Well...

"Yo, Nii-chan...! Why are you so tense?" A burly man asks me.

...

"Maybe he's holding 'it' in." A midget snickers.

"Huh...? If you gotta' go, there's a place over there." A bluish, pinkish haired man says while pointing at somewhere with his thumb.

...

That's right.

It's the same trio that tried to mug me in the first three walkthroughs!

"Order up...!"

Old Man Rom enters the scene with a large platter.

He serves us with seemingly carrot soup.

"Oh, we're having carrot soup today." Robin nonchalantly sits beside me.

"Yep...! Just harvested them this evening...!" The old man declares while pounding his chest.

[Door slam, Bell ringing]

"Sorry for being late! What did I miss?"

The familiar sounding voice...

"Yo, Felt! How are you doing?"

I turn around and greet her casually.

"Subaru, what are you doing here?"

The blond girl heedlessly walks to the next seat.

"I found this guy sleeping under the starry night." Robin tells the newcomer.

"He did what...?"

"I was fainted, okay? I wasn't that desperate to sleep." I retort.

"Forget about his problem. Let's eat!"

The tanned man pronounces to the rest.

The occupants of the loot house begin eating.

...

"Hey, guys... Is it okay if I say that some crazy bunch of people is out there to kill us?"

"BUH...!"

At my remark, Robin spits out his soup.

"Dammit Robin...!"

Old Man Rom is covered in his sputter.

"Sorry, sorry..." He apologizes to the old man.

Then, he turns to me.

"Subaru-kun, what are you talking about...?"

...

"Well... Remember that white haired girl from earlier? She got friends."

The brunette man starts pondering.

"Oi, Subaru... Don't you ever come with good news? The last time you came here was to tell us about Elsa." Felt says while playing with her soup.

"Can't help with that..."

"In that case..."

Old Man Rom takes out his giant wooden club.

...

Robin told me once that those 'guys' are stronger than Elsa and Sasaki.

There's no way Old Man Rom could win against Lu Bu or Li Shuwen.

Those Chinese men were monsters.

"We got no choice but to defend the port, right boss?"

The midget eagerly pulls out his dagger.

His fellow thugs also brandish their weapons.

...

They killed me once before...

But I don't think they can handle a monster like Lu Bu...

That bastard literally crushed my skull with his bare hand.

That burly guy over there can't even stand my iron grip.

"Hmm...? You got a problem with me?" He asks me with threatening eyes.

...

Actually, it's not threatening at all.

[Bell ringing]

!

All of us become alerted.

Robin is already pointing his arrow at the door.

"Good eve—"

The newcomers become baffled by our 'welcoming'.

"Are you kidding me...!? The 'Reinhard' is out to kill us!?"

The midget screams to the top of his lungs.

"And Sasaki too...!? What crime did we ever do...!?"

The bluish, pinkish thug whimpers.

...

How about attempted robbery and murder?

"Oya...? What kind of welcoming is this? I haven't returned for quite awhile." Sasaki comments nonchalantly.

Robin puts down his bow and arrow.

"Oh... It's just you. I thought it was someone else."

The Prince of Thieves let out a sigh.

...

"Speaking of which, what are you doing here?"

I ask the red haired guest.

He was a bit startled by my remark but he recomposes himself after that.

"Ah... I was on a patrol with my fellow guard, Kojirou. He decides to revisit his old home. So, I decide to accompany him."

...

I'm glad I choose not to kill you.

Your 'good guy' level is totally off chart!

"You have strange looking apparel. You are not from around here, are you?"

?

"Subaru-dono is indeed a stranger to this country. I can vouch for that." Sasaki answers the question for me.

...

I realized that Sasaki never looked at me in the eye.

"So, we are not in trouble with the knights?"

The midget interjects.

"You are not in any trouble." Reinhard reassures them.

The trio start to relax.

"I thought I was going to die for a sec..." The burly man sighs.

"Big deal..." Felt snorts.

The two men approach the counter.

"So your name is Subaru? Please to meet you." The red haired young man says to me.

?

Why is he acting like this is the first time we met?

...

Oh...

This is the first time we 'met'.

"Hahaha...! It's nice to finally meet you in person, Reinhard-san!"

I offer him my hand.

He receives it with a smile.

"Just Reinhard would be nice, Subaru."

...

Like our previous meeting...

He closes the gap between us like nothing.

"How's the training, Sasaki?"

"It was quite intense! Fencing and _kenjutsu_ are very different. I learn something new every day!"

The two legendary figures start chatting.

"Oh, I'm glad you're enjoying it. Because I'm totally not..."

"Your passion lies in the bow."

Meanwhile, the largest man in the room is scratching his head.

"Aren't we expecting people? You said a crazy bunch is out there to kill us."

!

"I totally forgot about that!"

[THUD]

?

What was that?

"What was that?" The midget repeats what in my mind.

Old Man Rom brandishes his club.

"That sounds like a large foot."

"Who's there...!?"

Sasaki suddenly pulls out his blade.

?

What is he talking about?

There's no one—

"How interesting..."

!

That voice...!

The air ripples and a man comes out from the thin air.

"Li Shuwen...!"

He... he's here!

"You can sense me in matter of seconds. Not many can do that even with a Divine Protection."

Sasaki steps forward.

"Let's just say, I can sense any disturbance in the environment."

The Chinese man smirks.

Then, he turns toward Reinhard.

"So, you're the heroic Reinhard van Astrea."

The red haired young man reaches for his sword.

"I heard you lost your Blessings. Did you know where they went?"

?

What is he talking about?

All of a sudden, Reinhard becomes startled.

"That power... The Divine Protection of Martial Arts...!"

!

In a split second, Li Shuwen is in front of him.

[CLANK]

Sasaki forces the Chinese martial artist to retreat.

"Hmm... You can bypass my world interference. A Divine Blessing...?"

The samurai in knight robe smirks.

"You can say, it's the only thing given to me by this world."

"Divine Protection of Tranquillity... It provides the user with immunity to first strikes and making his attacks unreadable."

...

"Reinhard, you are giving us commentaries...?"

The red haired knight scratches his cheek.

"I still have the Divine Protection of Divining. I can't help but to say it aloud."

He let out a chuckle.

...

What are you talking about...?

"HAHAHA...!"

!

Abruptly, the Chinese martial artist laughs.

"A worthy opponent... I shall comply with all my might."

A spear appears beside him.

...

That's right!

Li Shuwen was a master with halberd in his youth.

Sasaki flicks his western blade.

"Everybody look out...!"

?

!

Robin suddenly pushes me down to the floor.

[CRASH]

!

The top of the building is blown off!

"Geh... What the heck is wrong with their power level...!?" Robin yells.

!

What about the others...!?

I glance around frantically.

"Are you okay, young lady?"

Reinhard is cradling Felt in his arms like a charming prince carrying his princess.

"Oi, oi...! Put me down...!"

The blond girl struggles to be let go.

"MY SHOP...!"

Meanwhile, Old Man Rom is lamenting the fate of his pawnshop.

...

And it appears the thugs' trio are safe too.

[Clang, clang, clang, clang]

?

Sasaki and Li Shuwen are having their fight.

[Horse neighing]

"Hoh... So, you survived my God's Force."

...

I recognize that voice anywhere...

"Lu Bu."

I glance upward from my crouching position.

The Chinese general is riding his fabled red steed.

He points his halberd at me.

"The moment is here. Now die, Satella's beloved!"

I close my eyes to accept my fate.

[CLANG]

?

I slowly open my eyes to see what's going on.

...

!

Reinhard is stopping Lu Bu's halberd with his sword!

"Get out of my way, useless knight. You are not worthy to be my opponent."

"I'm afraid I can't accept your statement." The knight says with a smile.

[CLANG]

The red horse was forced to retreat.

"You dare to challenge me...? You... a worthless man without his Blessings...?"

Reinhard simply points his sword at the Chinese general.

"I may not as strong as my previous self. However, I can still fight."

...

What am I?

The damsel in distress...?

And Reinhard is the protagonist for saving me...?

...

"GUOH...!"

All parties were shocked by my outburst.

"This isn't right...! I am supposed to be the protagonist. Why am I given the role of a damsel instead...!?"

"Oi Subaru-kun... This isn't the time for jokes like that." Robin deadpans.

"Give me one reason why I should not run you down in this instance." Lu Bu points his weapon at me.

...

"Simple. I am here to protect him."

The knight steps forward.

"Subaru may not a citizen of Lugnica. But he is a citizen in need of help. I shall answer his call of distress."

Reinhard flicks his sword.

...

"I want to spout heroic lines like that...!"

"Oi, oi..." Robin massages his head.

The infamous Chinese general climbs down from his steed.

[Horse neighing]

"I see... Prepare to meet your doom, Reinhard van Astrea."

The noble steed runs to... wherever that direction is...

The Chinese warrior takes his stance.

The red haired knight responds with similar nature.

"Subaru, you should run." He suddenly says.

?

"Our fight may get a bit rough. So, it's better if you get some distance." Reinhard says to me.

...

"But, where should I go?"

!

Abruptly, Robin pulls my arm.

"Follow us."

The Prince of Thieves gestures toward Felt, Old Man Rom and the trio.

"You are not getting out alive, Satella's Beloved...! Medea has commanded her armies to surround this place...!" Lu Bu claims.

...

"Don't listen to that guy. We can protect you." Robin gives me an assuring smile.

...

Can I survive this?

" _Go with them, Subaru-kun._ "

?

Emilia-tan...?

...

If Emilia-tan's voice comes out of nowhere just to tell me to go... that means, there's a good ending lies ahead!

At least, it's not Kirei's voice.

That voice is a death flag...

"Come on...! We can't waste much time."

The brunette man urges me to move.

I follow them without hesitation.

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

The red haired knight watches the Japanese boy escapes with his party.

A smile is apparent on his face.

For the first time in his life, he is going to face an opponent so strong... that it makes his heart races.

Truthfully, he had faced worst.

However, this time around, he lost most of his Blessings.

The only Blessings he had left are the Divine Protection of Sword Saint and the Divine Protection of Divining.

In the past, he asked for the gods' help whenever he faces trouble.

They granted him with so many boons.

Now, for unknown reasons, his boons were retracted.

And those boons were given to his enemies...

He knew they were his Blessings.

They were the same Divine Protections that always protected him since he was little.

They were part of him.

"Divine Protection of Warlord..." The young man mutters.

"So, you can divine my Blessing. Of course... it was your Blessing in the first place."

The Chinese general attempts to strike a conversation.

"I don't understand... Why the gods would favour people such as you with their blessings?" The young man questions the world.

"Perhaps the gods find that we are worthy." Lu Bu simply replies.

Reinhard raises his eyebrow.

"This world... this heaven... labelled you as the protector. You were the champion of this world."

"..."

The Sword Saint remains quiet.

He would like to hear his opponent's point of view.

"That is right! You were the chosen one! You were the sole being chosen by the gods to challenge the Jealous Witch, Satella!"

The young man continues to listen.

"But that is no more... We are the new order. We are the new chosen ones."

Lu Bu spins his halberd.

"We were heroes. We were champions of our original world. Even in a new world, we shall be glorious! The world itself acknowledges our grandeur! That is why your gods have forsaken you."

He points his weapon at Reinhard.

"They have chosen to give us their boons instead of a single naive boy."

"..."

The Sword Saint grips his sword handle tighter.

"I may am naive. Nonetheless, my sole wish to serve my country. Nothing more, nothing less..."

"HAHAHAHA...!"

Lu Bu let out a thunderous laugh.

"How naive can you be...? Serve your kingdom? Isn't you kingdom is governed by the Dragon? If that's the case, you have no reason to fight me."

The van Astrea noble becomes startled once again.

"It can't be..."

"As you feared... We serve the Great Dragon. This purging is part of its wish."

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

"What are they?"

Currently, we are surrounded by skeleton warriors.

...

COOL!

This is just like those other games I used to play!

These are the mob soldiers.

So, it's time to for us to shine!

"GET OUT OF OUR WAY!"

[CRASH]

...

"OLD MAN ROM OBLITERATED THEM IN ONE SMASH!"

"Oi, oi..." Robin palms his face.

[Creak]

?

"More skeletons...!?" Felt says in shocked tone.

All of us (except me) had our weapons drawn.

The trio are smashing every skeleton that tries to come close.

...

Those guys were pretty skilled.

Despite being mob characters...

[Swoosh]

[Crack]

The blond girl skilfully takes down a skeleton soldier by cutting its legs.

[Swoosh]

In the mean time, Robin snipes down several skeleton soldiers from far.

"Keep moving...! We don't want to get surrounded!" Old Man Rom declares.

[CRASH]

And he crushes another team of skeleton.

...

Wait a sec...

I'm the only guy who's not doing anything...!?

"Move, Subaru-kun...!"

Robin pushes me to walk.

"I know, I know...! I can walk by myself!"

"You're not walking!"

Gritting my teeth, I walk faster behind Old Man Rom.

The trio and Felt are behind me.

The Prince of Thieves suddenly stops.

"You guys go ahead...! I got an idea to distract them."

"You better come back alive, asshole!" The blond girl yells at him.

From far, I could see his smirk.

...

"URYAAA...!"

[CRASH]

"ANOTHER HOMERUN FOR OLD MAN ROM...!"

"COULD YOU STOP MAKING WEIRD COMMENTARIES...!?" Felt retorts to my reaction.

...

WHAT AM I DOING...!?

Am I a commenter for a TV showing...!?

"Look at that...!"

The midget suddenly yells.

?

!

A huge shadow floats over us.

"A winged dragon..." The tanned man comments on the bizarre sight.

Even for these guys, such sight is intimidating.

[Heart thumping]

It slowly circles us.

...

Dammit...!

Is there anything I can do...?

[Roar]

The flying reptile let out a roar.

!

"Get out of the way...!"

[AIR DRAFTING]

All of us take refuge behind a building.

The air feels a bit chilly...

?

Ice-breath...?

"A Frost Wyrm...?"

The others glance at me.

"You know what that thing is...?" The midget asks.

?

"Wait... I thought those things are normal in this world."

"Normal my ass... No dragons breathe ice and look so... skeletal." The bluish, pinkish haired thug claims.

"Skeletal...?"

[Roar]

I try peeking outside.

...

The flying creature continues to circle airborne.

It does look skeletal...

[Creak]

?

"They're in here...!" The burly man freaks out.

A number of skeleton warriors surround us.

"URYAAA...!"

[CRASH]

"ONCE AGAIN, OLD MAN ROM STRIKES A HOMERUN...!"

"WHAT'S A ' _HOMERUN_ ' IN THE FIRST PLACE!?" The old man finally had enough with my antics.

Lucky for us, the skeleton mobs aren't really a threat.

The real threat is—

[THUD]

!

An earthquake...!?

...

No.

That's not it...

It's—

!

[Air draft]

All of a sudden, Old Man Rom flings me and Felt to another room.

[ROAR]

[Indistinct whimpering]

"GORYAAA...!"

The huge man let out a battle cry.

"Old Man Rom...!"

The blond girl calls out for the old man as soon as she recovers from the impact.

The large man is nowhere to be seen from inside the room.

The red eyed girl runs outside, leaving me alone.

...

I slap my own face.

I need to do something...!

I can't be the burden of this party.

Is there anything I can use as a weapon...?

...

A pitchfork...!

I grab the object.

I exit the building.

"URYAAA...!"

That's Old Man Rom's voice!

[ROAR]

I see the tanned man is riding the dragon by its neck.

The creature attempts to shake him off.

Without even giving an inch, the old man continues to smack its head.

"Th-this damn... thing... don't seem... to bleed...!"

His voice is audible as he struggles.

"We're coming, boss! Let it loose, Chin!" The midget shows up along with his two companions.

"Ur— GOA...!"

"Eh...?"

[EXPLOSION]

A fireball flies out from the thug's palm and bombards the dragon's forelimb.

[ROAR]

"Not... helping!"

Old Man Rom yells as the dragon moves its neck more erratically.

"Sorry boss... I wasn't trying to aggravate it." The thug apologizes for the unforeseen circumstances.

...

"Wait... You can use fire spell...?"

The thug glances at me sideways.

"Got a problem with that...?"

...

"EVEN MOB CHARACTERS ARE MORE USEFUL THAN ME...!?"

""WHO ARE YOU CALLING MOB CHARACTERS...!?"" The trio respond to my remark.

"Hang on, Old Man Rom...!"

!

"Stop that girl...!"

[SWOOSH]

The girl charges with her wind-like movement.

"Felt-dono...!" One of the thugs yells.

The girl climbs the creature's limb and stabs it with her dagger.

...

Dammit...!

"UUUOOHHHHH...!"

I decide to charge in with my pitchfork.

[Splat]

I plunge its blades at the dragon's forelimb.

[ROAR]

!

[Air draft]

I find myself flying.

[THUD]

"Kuh..."

I spit out some blood.

I think... I broke something...

But it's not fatal...

"UUOHHH...!"

Old Man Rom is sent flying...!

[Crash]

[ROAR]

?

Wait a sec...

That thing is coming my way...!

I quickly make an attempt to escape.

[ROAR]

"Dammit...!"

I make a run for it.

[Impeding stomping]

Its footsteps are very audible in my ears.

[ROAR]

!

"Why is it following me...!?"

[Plunge, plunge, plunge]

?

All of a sudden, the stomping comes to a pause.

I quietly turn around.

The creature lies lifelessly where it used to stand.

"Fancy seeing you here, Natsuki..."

...

Out of all people, why is it you...?

"Kotomine Kirei..."

The man in white robe walks gracefully from his prey.

He quietly pulls out his weapons from the dead dragon.

"You... you killed it."

The man presents me with a smirk.

"No, I didn't. What I did is exorcising it. This creature was never living."

He clutches his blades on his fingers.

"Stand behind me, Natsuki. Enemies are approaching."

!

A large number of skeleton warriors surround us!

The Japanese knight flips his robe.

In his hands, six blades were carefully wielded.

[Rattle, rattle]

Suddenly, two skeleton warriors broke.

"His timing couldn't be better." Kirei forms a new smirk.

[Air draft]

[Rattle, clatter, clatter]

[Clang, clatter, clang, clatter]

[Air draft]

[Clatter]

...

I am speechless...

The man I loathed is currently moving faster than I can hope, taking down every single one of the skeleton mobs.

From time to time, someone snipes the skeletons, making it easier for Kirei to fight.

...

It's Robin.

I only knew one archer, and that's the guy who's providing cover fire for us.

I could imagine his smirk.

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

[CLANG]

Two men of different descents are having a bout.

[Clang, clang, clang]

A sword is drawn against a pole arm.

The two men gracefully 'dance' with their weapons.

The sword wielder, a man in white robe, is enjoying every moment of their exchange.

Meanwhile, the pole arm user, a man in orange garb, is a bit troubled.

He wishes to enjoy this rare encounter.

Not many can see through his Sphere Boundary, much less survives his fist.

Now, even with a spear, he can barely keep up with his opponent.

Nevertheless, his master wishes for the destruction of one Natsuki Subaru.

[CLANG]

Their weapons interlock again.

"What an amazing opponent you are... I've never met anyone capable of forcing me this far."

The former samurai replies with a smirk.

"Is that so...? I am honoured."

[CLANG]

Both of them backpedal.

The infamous Chinese martial artist spins his halberd and plants it to the ground.

"Shall we exchange names...? We never had any chance to do it earlier." He says to his foe.

The former samurai flicks his sword.

"Very well... I am known by the name Sasaki Kojirou. However, that is only an alias."

The martial artist raises his eyebrow.

"An alias...?"

Sasaki presents him with another smirk.

"I am not the original Sasaki Kojirou. I was summoned as a Servant due to my similarity with the original man. Formerly, I am nothing but a wraith."

The Chinese man nods.

"I see... Nevertheless, Sasaki Kojirou, you are the one I'm facing! Even if you were a nameless man, now, that name is yours! You have earned your name through your skills. I, a Master Martial Artist, declare as such!"

The former samurai was a bit shocked by his foe's reaction.

"Are you saying that I should claim this name as mine...?"

"Sasaki Kojirou is not the man in front of me. Sasaki Kojirou is not the one facing me. The one that faces me is you! A nameless man...! I simply can't accept that! Therefore, I shall declare! I am facing Sasaki Kojirou, and the one in front of me is you!"

The formerly nameless man blinks his eyes in disbelieve.

"I... I don't know what to say..."

"You need not to say anything...! I, Li Shuwen, recognize you as Sasaki Kojirou!"

Slowly, a smile forms on Sasaki's face.

For the first time, someone recognizes him as himself instead of 'Sasaki Kojirou'.

He was a nameless man.

He was just a farmer with fixation to swordsmanship.

No one knows him.

His technique, _Tsubame Gaeshi_ , has similar name to the skill of the legendary 'Sasaki Kojirou'.

Therefore, every feat, every achievement...

All goes to the famous swordsman.

Now, someone just distinguished him from the celebrated figure.

'Sasaki Kojirou' is not a nameless man.

'Sasaki Kojirou' is him.

He is Sasaki Kojirou.

No longer is he the wraith summoned by a witch.

"I... I thank you."

The tears of joy flow down from his eyes.

The Chinese man responds with a smirk.

"I don't mean to interrupt. Aren't you forgetting something, Li Shuwen?"

A manly voice interjects their meaningful conversation.

He makes his appearance before them.

"Stay out of this, Emiya. This is my bout." The martial artist hisses at him.

The tanned man simply gives him a smirk.

"You are..."

The former samurai recognizes the newcomer.

"Fancy seeing you here, Assassin... Or should I call you, Sasaki Kojirou?"

It was a taunting tone.

The squire flicks his sword in annoyance.

Sasaki Kojirou, the Assassin of fifth Fuyuki Grail War, was always a composed person.

Not a single thing can faze him.

However, this one man irks him.

He met this man once.

He came from the same continuity where the Archer class Servant tried to kill Emiya Shirou, his younger counterpart.

This man has no honour.

He literally attacked a helpless fighter in the back.

"Finish this fight, Li Shuwen. Jeanne is not pleased with your... senseless ranting." The man in red says.

He vanishes from their sight.

"I'm afraid we have to conclude this bout, Sasaki Kojirou." Li Shuwen let out a sigh.

The Chinese man readies his weapon.

Smirking to his opponent, the Japanese man did the same.

It was the same stance he used to execute his secret technique.

"I am aware of your circumstances. Shall we end it with our mightiest blow?"

"HAHAHAHA...!"

A thunderous laughter comes from Li Shuwen.

And they move.

" _Hiken—_ "

The sword and spear are swung.

" _Shen Qiang...!_ "

" _Tsubame Gaeshi...!_ "

[SPLAT]

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

[CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG]

"You fool...! You dare to deny the wish of the great dragon...!?"

"Your claim has no credibility. I have no need to believe in such sham."

It's another battle between a sword and a pole arm.

The combatants are evenly matched.

A red haired young man with blue eyes is opposing a red haired huge man.

The first combatant only wears thin robe.

The second combatant, a behemoth, wears full armour.

It is a wonder how he moves so fluidly in that heavy getup.

Not only that, his body stature is that of a giant.

Nevertheless, his agility is breathtaking.

[CLANG, CLANG, CLANG]

The two men exchange blows.

It appears the younger man has no problem to keep up with his opponent.

In fact, he is enjoying it.

It's in his blood.

[CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG]

However, his weapon says otherwise.

The young man was using a high quality steel blade.

Nevertheless, it is not durable enough to match the Houtengeki.

"?" The man in white robe finally realizes his weapon's condition.

"This is the end!"

[Metal snaps]

The red haired young man performs a back flip to escape his opponent's attack.

Once he lands safely, he inspects his broken weapon.

"You are a fool to challenge me with such mundane weapon, Reinhard van Astrea." The Chinese man chuckles heartily.

"I'm sorry I put forced you too much..." Reinhard whispers to the broken sword.

Nodding solemnly to himself, the young man discards the useless weapon.

With that, he finally reaches for his last resort.

The weapon he was reluctant to use, the fabled sword of Sword Saints, Dragon Reid.

"Hoh... So, you're finally going all out. Without your other Blessings, you might as well prepare yourself a grave."

The former Chinese general ridicules the young nobleman.

When he first heard of the young man, he was baffled.

Reinhard's abilities were completely ridiculous.

The Chinese man laughs at the sheer nonsensicality.

The world favours the young man.

Therefore, they grant him all the Blessings they could garner, making him a broken fighter.

The former general believes that Reinhard relies completely on his Blessings.

In other words, without his Blessings, Reinhard is no different than an average man that can barely swing a sword.

Even now, Reinhard only manages to survive this far against the Chinese general due to his Divine Protection of Sword Saint.

"I see that you look down on me." The young nobleman seems a bit annoyed by his opponent's taunting.

"How can I not...? I have met and fought countless warriors in my whole life. Never once have I heard of such biasness. Your power lies in those Blessings. Without them, you're pretty much dead meat." His opponent replies with haughty tone.

With his hand on the sword handle, Reinhard forms a smirk.

"I see... In warriors' eyes, I am nothing but a jester, relying on my Blessings."

The Chinese man snorts.

"If you still have your Blessings, our bout is not between you and me. It will be me against the world."

There is some truth in those words.

Fighting the former Reinhard is like opposing the world itself.

"Now, I know..." The young man whispers to himself.

[Wind blows]

The Chinese man becomes alerted.

The mana surrounding them is being sucked in.

"HAHAHAHA...! So that is Reid...! How amusing! To think it will exert such an aura!"

He gleefully enters his stance.

"My role has changed. I am no longer a tool. I am a man. I will determine my own fate!" He smirks to himself.

Yes.

Reinhard was a tool.

He was a tool to protect the world.

He doesn't understand why the world suddenly turns against him.

But, he believes it's for the greater good.

He was always alone.

His grandfather, Wilhelm, never took a shine on him.

It's probably the same reason why the old man refused to acknowledge his wife in the first place.

 _ **The Divine Protection of Sword Saint**_

It's an ability granted to those of van Astrea bloodline.

It provides full mastery of swordsmanship without the need to train.

In commoners' eyes, this is nothing but biasness.

Others struggled and fought to reach greatness.

But he, Reinhard, never once struggled for what he wants.

Now, he is given a chance.

He is given a chance to be a human instead of a tool.

No longer is he Reinhard, the world's protector.

He is now Reinhard, a human who strives to save people.

"Lu Bu, that is your name, is it not?"

"That is my name." The former general replies assertively.

[AIR DRAFT]

At last, the blade is fully drawn.

"My name is Reinhard van Astrea. And I will prove to you that I am not as weak as you assumed."

With both hands clenching the sword handle, he raises it near his face.

"HAHAHAHA...!"

A thunderous laughter once again escapes from Lu Bu's throat.

"And I, Lu Bu, shall demonstrate to you the strength of a war god."

#Chapter End#

* * *

[Author's note]

Thanks for reading!


	11. Chapter 08

Chapter 08: "I'm not useless" part I

* * *

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

Bones are scattered everywhere on the ground.

One man stands in the midst of them.

His white cloak wavers as he walks toward me.

A smirk quietly creeps to his face.

...

"For some reason, I feel like making a poet..."

"What are you rambling about, Natsuki?" The YOROKOBE bastard asks.

He already put away his slim blades.

"What are those swords...? It killed that dragon in a single hit."

Amusement begins to replace his smirk.

"These are Black Keys. They are the holy sacrament of the Church. Such abominable creature stands little to no chance against these."

He hands over one of them to me.

?

"I didn't know the Church have this kind of stuff..."

I inspect the blade.

...

It's ridiculously light.

[Swoosh]

I try swinging it.

...

I don't know if these can be used in a swordfight...

...

?

"Hey, wait a sec... This country got churches...?"

The man shakes his head.

"Unfortunately, this world has no such thing. At most, they only possess temples."

...

"Then, where did you get these swords...?"

A smirk returns to his face.

"I made them myself."

I nod and return the flimsy blade to him.

"You were Christian?"

"Was... But I was never devoted. I believe I was an avid believer. In the end, I was only fooling myself. My desire and my faith do not go hand-by-hand."

...

I got no comment on that.

...

"Hey, Kirei... Can you teach me how to fight? I'm kinda sick of being a spectator."

The man is bit startled by my sudden request.

Then, the bastard forms his smirk.

"I am not interested in taking any students. I used to have a disciple. She was amusing. You... I would prefer if you train under someone else. It will be another amusement to me."

...

Now I remember why I hate this guy...

He is a damn troll!

"Yo, Subaru-kun...!"

A young man with green cloak joins our party.

"I guess that kinda settles it for now, huh?" He comments on the situation.

"Not quite... We still need to neutralize the enemy's force. Aside from the skeletal warriors, two men are seen to engage our force." Kirei suddenly says.

...

"Speaking of which, how did you know about this?"

The YOROKOBE bastard gives me another smirk.

"I was tailing Reinhard due to a request from an old friend. I was perplexed when the enemy showed up. After that, I rally a number of knights to evacuate the citizens."

...

Now that I think of it, the slums do look abandoned...

Apparently, they successfully evacuated the people.

"Kirei-dono...!"

Just in time, four figures in white clothing arrive.

I recognize two of them.

...

?

!

"You...!? Why are you wearing that kind of clothing...!?"

It was the cat eared girl!

"Ara...? Is there anything wrong with my clothing...?"

"I believe Felix-sama is dressing appropriately." The black haired hunk, Diarmuid comments on her clothing.

Meanwhile, the other two men are sighing.

"You have caused another misunderstanding, Felix." A purple haired young man says in tired tone.

The other young man has white haired, which kinda blends with his clothing.

" _Unya._..? I didn't say anything. He was the one assuming something. By the way, who the heck are you?" The cat eared girl asks.

?

"What are you talking about...? We have met a few days ago."

She tries to recall it very hard.

"Sorry... I can't remember anything."

"Ignore Natsuki for now. How's the evacuation?" Kirei interjects.

"We have successfully vacated the area before skeletal creatures surround it. Diarmuid and Siegfried effectively eliminated the main force of the creatures as the others begun the evacuation." The purple haired guy reports to Kirei.

...

I forgot that Kirei is kinda in high place.

"No casualty has been reported, _nya~_. We did found survivors earlier. They were escorted to safety." The cat eared girl declares.

The YOROKOBE knight nods.

"Very well... We shall move to the next agenda. Felix, Julius, the two of you will secure the loot house area. It is somewhere deeper into the heart of slums."

"I know that place, _nya~_." The cat girl claims.

"That makes things simpler. Diarmuid, Robin, Siegfried, you are to follow my lead. We shall neutralize the main enemy force. They are coming by the air."

...

"Um... Are you forgetting something, Kirei?" I decide to speak up.

"Huh...? Oh, my mistake. For some reason, the creatures seem to be frantic. I assumed their sole target is you, Natsuki. With you acting as distraction, our knights were able to evacuate the citizens with no casualty. For that, I thank you." He bows at me.

"Uh... Sure, no problem..."

...

"THAT'S NOT IT!"

All of them were startled by my outburst.

"I was talking about me! What am I supposed to do?"

The Japanese knight recomposes himself.

"Ah... I see. To make things easier, you shall follow Felix and Julius into the heart of the slums. If my assumption is correct, the creatures will pay no heed to us, allowing us to slaughter them with little effort. Felix and Julius will protect you."

...

"So, I'm the bait...?"

"Precisely..." He replies in a split second.

"Don't you worry! Even if you're half-dead, I can still heal you!" The cat girl claims.

The purple haired man simply smirks.

...

"So, are you a guy or a girl?"

The cat girl tilts her head.

"Ara...? Isn't it obvious? I'm a male."

...

"BUH...!"

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

Felix Argyle, Julius Euclius and Subaru Natsuki walk away from the remaining men.

"You seems to be anxious, Robin Hood."

The former priest states his opinion.

The Prince of Thieves was quiet during the whole briefing.

He was waiting for a time to talk.

"Servants... I recognize those guys. They were Servants from my War."

Yes.

Li Shu Wen and Lu Bu were competitors in the Moon Cell Grail War.

Robin Hood, as an Archer, once met them outside of combat.

"As we feared..." The former priest closes his eyes.

"How many Servants will appear in this world...?" Siegfried, the white haired squire finally breaks his silence.

"That will be a mystery... I simply hope that this isn't a sign of another Holy Grail War." Diarmuid, the former Lancer muses.

At his remark, Kirei Kotomine opens his eyes.

"I assure you that the Grail has no role in this. My informant is certain that the Grail does not exist in this world."

The three former Servants are shocked to hear it.

"And how can we be sure of that...?" The Prince of Thieves asks.

The former overseer of Fuyuki fifth Holy Grail War answers with a smirk.

"The King of Heroes is not one to miss such detail."

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

"So, let me get this straight. You're a guy?"

The cat eared guy tilts his head.

"What part of my confession that you don't understand?"

...

"But you were wearing a dress..."

Once again, he tilts his head.

"Let me ask you a question; how did you know I like to cross-dress? I haven't been out to the public these days. And you don't look from around here."

!

I totally forgot!

In this walkthrough, I haven't met him yet!

"Oh... oh... I think I have mistaken you for someone else." I chuckle nervously.

The cat eared guy shrugs.

"Whatever... So, what's your full name? I am Felix Argyle. You can call me Ferris."

"I'm Natsuki Subaru. Please to meet you, Ferris-san."

I glance at the other guy.

With a smirk, he flips his white cloak.

"I am Julius Euclius. I am a knight under Lady Anastasia's service."

...

Do all knights smirk?

At least, Ferris-san isn't smirking.

I think...

The three of us are walking towards the heart of slum as we talk.

There's barely any tension from previous event.

I mean, we're chatting without worries.

Just now, we fought skeleton mobs and a skeletal dragon.

...

Actually, I did nothing at all...

"Speaking of which, what happened to Old Man Rom and Felt?"

"Oh, don't worry about them. We already escorted them to safety. They were the survivors I mentioned earlier." Ferris tells me.

"Eh...? You know their names?"

The purple haired knight indicates that he wants to speak.

"Felt-dono used to be part of the incident during the subjugation of the plague source. Felix, Felt and I were part of the force that puts an end to the plague."

?

Felt is actually a hero...!?

I mean, heroine...

Whatever...

"However, we weren't the one who deal the finishing blow."

A solemn smile appears on his face.

"Speaking of which, Emilia-sama was there too, wasn't she? She was kidnapped by the cultists."

!

Emilia-tan...?

"That's right _nya~_." Ferris replies to Julius.

"Luckily, she wasn't harmed." The purpled haired young man nods to himself.

...

Like Jeanne said, Emilia is targeted by crazy people...

?

Suddenly, the two of them stop walking.

"Ferris-san, Julius... Why did you guys stop?"

Both of them have serious expression.

"The mana in the air is gone." Ferris suddenly states.

"We must be getting closer!"

Julius draws his sword.

!

Suddenly, the two of them run, leaving me alone.

"Oi, oi...! I thought you guys were supposed to guard me...!?"

...

Apparently, they didn't hear me.

Now, they are nowhere to be seen.

...

I sigh out of frustration.

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

[SWOOSH]

Reinhard van Astrea ducks to avoid a wide sweep.

The nobleman attempts a jab from lower angle.

[CLANG]

It was easily parried by his opponent.

Lu Bu, the former Chinese general, executes several jabs.

[CLANG, CLANG, CLANG]

No matter how fast his jabs were, Reinhard was able to deflect them.

"How exciting...!"

A simple arm hook is thrown.

The red haired noble notices the Chinese's intention and performs a back flip to avoid it.

[Swoosh]

Using the fact that he is in the air, Reinhard performs a heavy slash with both arm.

[CLANG]

His opponent was able to block it in time.

The two of them enter a contest of strength.

"Tch..."

The young man realizes that if he keeps it longer, Lu Bu might grab any part of his limbs and hurl him away.

His size and strength allowed the Chinese man to easily fling a full grown man with a single arm.

Reinhard jumps away, ending the short weapon interlocking.

"!"

[CRASH]

The place where he lands is suddenly smashed to pieces.

"Do you think you can get away...!? HA...!"

[CRASH]

The ground is torn apart by the Chinese general.

"Kuh...!"

The uneven footing forces Reinhard to retreat further from his opponent.

"I GOT YOU...!"

"!"

[SMACK]

Caught off guard, the Sword Saint is chucked to a random hut.

[CRASH]

"Guh..."

For the first time in his career, he had been hit with a haymaker.

His stomach, where it landed, feels blunt and sore.

"Stand up, Reinhard van Astrea...! I am not done with you...!"

His opponent declares while laughing haughtily.

Lu Bu wasn't all talk.

In his legend, the Romance of Three Kingdoms, he is depicted as a war god.

Now, he is showing his power.

The blue-eyed Astrea heir uses his sword as a crutch to stand back.

It is a shame that he had to use the fabled sword for such mundane task.

"I... I am not done... as well..."

He clutches the handle with two arms and raises it to his eye level.

"Foolish boy...!"

In a blink of an eye, Lu Bu is in front of him.

[CLANG]

He blocks a blow that meant to crush him.

[Metal screeching]

The two weapons start to screech.

"Guh..." The young man grunts again.

"How does it feel? How does it feel being a helpless little brat?"

His opponent taunts him as their weapons interlocked.

"I... I will prove you wrong...!"

Reinhard pushes the Chinese man away.

"!"

Without letting a moment of respite, Lu Bu executes a jab.

[CLANG]

[Splat]

"Gah...!"

The young nobleman was able to block it from skewering him as whole.

However, the halberd manages to graze his arm.

This is the second time he bleeds.

And this time, his wound is more than a scratch.

"How should I end this? Should I cut off your pretty head? Or should I smash your whole body into mincemeat?"

 _Divine Protection of Warlord_

Prolonging the fight was a bad choice.

Every minute Lu Bu spends in combat, his battle prowess grows exponentially.

However, Reinhard refuses to lose.

[CLANG]

Once again, he pushes the former Chinese general to back away.

"Kuh..."

The young man let out a grunt.

His left arm is still usable.

However, moving it is very painful.

For some reason, Lu Bu let him have his respite.

"Do you know how pathetic you look in front of me, boy?"

"..." The red haired young man remains silent.

"A silent treatment...? HA!"

The legendary figure let out a thunderous laughter.

"Where is your strength...? Where is your determination? You can't even harm me, weakling."

"..."

Instead of answering, Reinhard raises his sword to the air.

[AIR DRAFT]

Wind starts to blow violently.

Reid begins to glow.

"Finishing this up already...? What a bore..."

The Chinese man ridicules him.

To answer Reinhard's resolve, a giant bow appears in Lu Bu's hand.

"I will personally test this Reid. Let's see how powerful it is!"

His spear is his arrow.

 _ **God's Force**_

It comes in many variations.

This is the Cannon mode.

Lu Bu's arrow is capable of wiping an entire army.

[AIR DRAFT]

The two combatants are silent.

Only the wind is making sound.

There is no incantation.

There is no need to call for their names.

Both weapons are ready to crush their foe.

Reid is swung and God's Force is released.

[FLASH]

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

The slums were illuminated by bright light.

Two men notice the incident.

One of them is a red haired Chinese man.

"Hmm... So that is Reid, a weapon comparable to a Divine Construct." The man in orange garb mutters to himself.

Meanwhile, the second man present in that specific location is lying down on the ground, with his back to the wall.

The right side of his torso has been skewered.

"Kuh..." He grunts from the pain.

Yes, the victor of their duel was Li Shuwen.

However, the Chinese martial artist wasn't satisfied.

He noticed that Sasaki was unable to use the full potential of his secret technique.

"Are you alright, Sasaki Kojirou?" He asks out of worry.

"You are concerned with your foe's wellbeing?" The former samurai jests.

"I wish for another bout in the future. Not many can survive my Divine Spear!" The martial artist let out a hearty laughter.

While Sasaki was defeated, he manages to survive the deadly blow.

This feat is remarkable in the Chinese martial artist's eyes.

Li Shuwen didn't finish him off despite being the victor.

He wishes to fight Sasaki Kojirou at his best.

"Hmm...?"

Suddenly, the red haired man notices company.

"Ah... More members of Lugnican Knights..."

Li Shuwen disperses his trusted halberd.

He wishes to 'test' the incoming Royal Guards' wits.

How good are they against his Sphere Boundary?

Without waiting for long, he 'becomes' one with the environment.

The former samurai simply smirks at his own pathetic form.

"It looks like I still need more practice..." He utters to himself.

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

"That light... That must be Reid...!"

A cat eared knight proclaims.

His companion, Julius Euclius nods grimly.

"An enemy strong enough to force Reinhard to utilize Reid... The situation is direr than we initially expected." The purple haired knight mutters.

Felix Argyle, the demi-human simply nods.

"We need to assist him. There is a chance that he might get fatally wounded." He adds.

Julius nods as agreement.

"While it's hard to picture Reinhard struggle against anyone, I cannot assume that he can fair well after losing his Blessings."

"Instead of worrying about your fellow knight, how about worrying about yourselves for once?"

The two knights become alerted.

Julius already had his sword drawn.

"Who are you...!? Show yourself...!" He demands to the interjector.

Felix prepares to cast a water spell.

"I'm right in front of you...!"

[SMACK]

In a split second, the cat-eared knight is sent flying.

"Felix...!"

The purple haired man swings his sword randomly.

"Unfortunately lad, you cannot hit me if you can't see me. I even gave you a warning."

The voice starts to chuckle.

The right hand knight to Anastasia Hoshin decides to calm down.

"An invisible opponent... Are you that coward to face us in direct combat?" He attempts to taunt his foe.

"Not at all...! What I'm trying to do is testing your mettle! I'm not the only invisible foe you will face in the future!"

Julius Euclius closes his eyes.

His opponent is right.

Whoever this man is, he is not the only threat to Lugnica.

There will be more.

There is a possibility that more invisible opponents will show up.

"Aren't you worried about your companion? I am known for my one-hit kill."

At that remark, Julius forms a smirk.

"Tell me; is your attack a physical one or a magical one?"

"That's one strange question... Nevertheless, I will answer it!" The voice says with glee.

"Before I go further, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Li Shuwen. I am a martial artist who seeks worthy opponents. Just now, I had one of the most wonderful bouts in my entire career as a martial artist. Not even once a man can see through my Sphere Boundary."

The purple haired knight remains quiet, listening to his opponent's rambling.

"My attacks are physical and yet spirituals one. I can inverse Yin and Yang inside a body."

At that remark, Julius raises his eyebrow.

"Yin and Yang inside a body...?"

"Precisely...!"

"..."

Once again, Julius smirks with his eyes closed.

Yin and Yang are the types of magic in Lugnica.

Even if the man's attack is magical in nature, it's not enough to kill his companion.

He knew Felix Argyle better than his foe.

The young demi-human cannot die from such attack.

There's another reason why Julius was able to smirk in this kind of situation.

He was buying time.

Yes, he was buying time to gather his spirits!

"O' Spirits... Grant me the ability to pierce his invisibility!"

The spirits gather around him and spread to the entire area.

"What...!?"

And Li Shuwen is exposed.

Sphere Boundary is not magical in nature.

It is the pinnacle of martial arts, allowing the practitioner to blend with the environment.

However, if the environment itself decides to rebel against him, his Sphere Boundary will not take effect.

It is another form of inverting Heaven and Earth.

[Handclaps]

"Bravo, bravo...! I must say, you are one interesting young man!" The Chinese man praises Julius for his clever tactic.

The knight simply smirks as a reply.

"And now, for the main event...! Let us see how good you are with your sword...!"

/***scene break***/

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

[FLASH]

...

"WHAT THE HECK IS THAT...!?"

Who the heck launch a light beam in this kind of place...!?

I quickly make my way towards the source of the light.

* * *

/~a few minutes later~/

* * *

...

What the heck happened here...?

This place looks totally totalled...

No puns intended.

The huts and buildings that used to fill this side of the slums are completely obliterated.

It's not from being attack by a laser beam either...

Otherwise, there won't be any debris.

I usually saw this in comic book.

Yes, I said comic instead of _manga_.

I read comic books from outside Japan too.

And I dare say; this looks like the working of the Incredible Hulk.

Ruined buildings, uneven ground due to pounding...

Yep, definitely Hulk's work...

...

Hey, if Hulk is here...

WHAT AM I DOING STANDING AROUND...!?

He's going to clobber me if he sees me!

"You are..."

?

That's a familiar voice...

!

"Reinhard...!"

The young man smiles softly at me.

...

"Man... You looked totalled."

His white robe is torn in many places.

Some part of it was red from bloodstain.

...

There's a deep gash in his left arm...

"Subaru, I thought I told you to get away... This place is dangerous." He says in serious tone.

...

"Well, Kirei was the one who sent me here..."

"Kirei-san...? Why would he send a civilian to a dangerous place?"

"He said that I'm the bait. By the way, what happened here?"

The red haired young man quietly sheathes his sword.

?

"That's one beautifully crafted sword."

I saw it before but I never saw it unsheathed.

"Ah... It's my family's prized sword." He chuckles as he caresses the sword handle.

...

"So, what happened here...? Did you fight the Hulk or something?"

The knight raises his eyebrow.

"The 'Hulk'...? What is that?"

"Oh, it's a big mean green muscular guy about more than 2 meters tall. And he has temper issue."

The young man ponders at my remark.

"I'm afraid I've never seen such creature..."

?

"Then—"

[Horse neighing]

?

"Subaru, stay behind me!"

The knight steps forward with his hand on the sword handle.

And there 'he' stands, the mighty Lu Bu Feng Xian, on his fabled horse.

...

"Just a question; why is he naked...?"

Reinhard remains tense despite my attempt at humour.

But, Lu Bu is NAKED...!

"So, that is Reid... I underestimate its power... Reinhard van Astrea, I will return for your head!"

[Horse neighing]

The naked giant man on his steed disappears from our sight.

...

"You know, that's kinda ruined the tension. I mean... he was buck naked...!"

Reinhard simply smiles at my remark.

"Yes... It does not seem to fit the atmosphere."

The two of us laugh at the strange sight.

It's hard to believe that Lu Bu is actually has exhibitionist habit.

...

"Hey, Reinhard... Maybe we should treat that wound."

He quietly moves his right hand to hold his wounded arm.

The red haired man winces from the pain.

"That is a good suggestion. If Felix is around, maybe I can ask for his aid."

"Well, he is around. I just don't know where he went."

"That's good news. I hope Kojirou is doing well with his opponent." He forms a smile.

...

He was talking about Sasaki, wasn't he?

"Knowing that guy, I don't think his opponent stand a chance."

Reinhard raises his eyebrow from my remark.

...

"You know, I think I should do something about your wound. Let me wrap it with some clothing."

?

Hey, my duffle bag... it's gone!

...

I think I left it behind in Jeanne's castle...

I palm my face.

"There's no need, Subaru. I can bear with it."

Despite what he claimed, he still winces from the pain.

...

[Cloth ripping]

"Subaru...?"

I rip a small piece of his robe.

"Your robe is pretty much busted already. Let's put it to good use. Sit down for awhile. While I don't look like it, I'm actually pretty decent with first aid."

The young man stares at me blankly.

Was he that mad when I rip his cloth?

"I'll put my trust in your skill then." He says with a smile.

...

Have anybody ever tell him that he is the nicest guy they have met?

I'm totally moved by his trust...

* * *

/~after wrapping Reinhard's wound~/

* * *

"That should stop the bleeding. It will still hurt from time to time though."

The red haired nobleman rubs the makeshift bandage.

Then, he winces.

"I don't know any healing magic, so I can't make the pain disappear. If only Emilia-tan was here..."

"It's okay... It's normal for a knight to be injured."

He stands up.

"Let us find the others."

I nod.

The two of us walk amidst the ruined slums.

#Chapter End#

* * *

[Author's note]

As requested by Llat, I'll explain the difference between the manga, LN/WN and the anime version.

I'll start with the manga vs anime.

In the anime, we were introduced to Natsuki Subaru, a hikkikomori who does nothing but gaming and reading manga all day long.

However, in the manga version, Natsuki Subaru is stated to be a NEET who prepared to be a delinquent.

There is a very distinct meaning between hikkikomori and NEET.

A NEET in expanded form is Not in Education, Employment or Training, which means he didn't go to school.

A hikki, on the other hand, may go to school but prefer to stay indoors most of the time.

Basically, we have two different Subarus.

The manga version, the delinquent-to-be Subaru has better background for his novice combat skill in comparison to the anime version.

Since he was aiming to be a delinquent of all things, he probably trained his muscle to be stronger.

Meanwhile, the anime version of Subaru has a little nonsensical background.

I mean, a hikki who swings bamboo sword for fun?

A normal hikki would rather swing a Wii-remote.

Let us move to other characters.

Emilia in the manga version is funnier than the anime version.

Personally, I prefer the manga version since she is well interpreted.

Subaru interaction with Emilia is more fun in the manga.

The anime version has edited some part of their interaction, some were better, some were basically unnecessary.

Remember the thugs trio?

Gaston, the big guy, is the leader in the manga.

While in the anime, the leader appears to be Rachins, the blue haired one.

Another charm of the manga is it is very detailed.

For example, when Subaru knocked out Gaston (in different way from the anime), Reinhard is shown as Subaru leaves.

It is a foreshadowing. (I like how it is done)

You should try checking out the manga.

The speech at the start of the election is very intriguing.

Now for the WN/LN version.

I assure you, this version is as good as the other two.

The details were a bit different but they reflecting each version.

In my opinion, the WN/LN version is more depressing and intense.

The major difference can be pointed out by comparing a scene from the Ulgarm/Mansion Arc.

In the second cycle, after Subaru woke up from his first death this time around, he attempts to remain awake in order to find the culprit.

In the anime version, he simply sits on a chair while trying to stay awake.

However, in the LN version, he stabs himself with a pen in order to stay conscious.

The LN version does seem a bit extreme but the reason is justified.

He was desperate and the pressure is getting to him.

He was almost there! He planned a date with Emilia! And then, things go wrong! He was 'back' at a save point he never wished for!

In the anime version, the pressure is non-existent.

Plus, he managed to get Emilia to agree with him to go on another date.

That's why he chooses to stay awake by normal means.

All in all, different versions of Re:Zero has different perspectives and experiences.

I recommend to indulge in all versions.

Which version does my fict follow?

Well, just wait and see.

Anyways, thanks for reading!

And HERE's the countdown for final chapter! :- 2

The end of this arc is approaching.

As always, I break the story through volumes.

Don't worry about it.

I'll be back with the third volume somewhere in March.


	12. Chapter 09

Chapter 09: "I'm not useless" part II

* * *

A man in orange garb is surging.

" _DŪN XIÀ DE LǍOHǓ…! (Crouching tiger)_ "

[Air draft]

He thrusts his right arm towards his opponent.

Julius Euclius sidesteps the lithe blow and proceed to counter.

[Swoosh, swoosh]

Neither of them was able to land a hit.

The Chinese man in orange attire performs a roundhouse kick.

[Swoosh, swoosh]

Julius, the purple haired knight was a bit astounded by the man's ferocity.

Never once in his life he had encountered a man so skilful with his limbs.

Reinhard was a master martial artist thanks to his Blessing.

However, this man, his moves… are not something gained from a Divine Protection.

This is something earned from sheer determination and hard work.

However, to reach the stranger's level, it will take a whole lifetime.

How is this man able to master his craft at such young age?

"Keep your head in the game, lad!"

"!"

[SWOOSH]

Julius was almost caught off guard.

Li Shuwen, his opponent, almost lands a hit on him.

Truthfully, Julius was unable to match the stranger's agility.

It was thanks to spirits that he manages to keep up with his foe.

The spirits provide Julius with extra agility and some insight on how his opponent fights.

The purple haired knight was baffled.

Spirits don't lie.

And that man wasn't lying when he says that he only needed one hit to kill a person.

One hit from Li Shuwen, and you'll die.

Felix Argyle is not a normal person, so he'll survive a direct hit from the martial artist.

It's a different story for Julius.

Even with the spirits aid, he can barely keep up with the man's agility.

"Who is this man?" He thought to himself.

With such capabilities, it is odd for him to go unnoticed.

"Is he another outsider from another world…?" He thought again.

He did meet a stranger from a different world about a month ago.

And Julius was perplexed by the power 'he' wielded.

A single blow from 'him' took the lives of a thousand men.

Reinhard is able to do the same with Reid.

Nevertheless, the outsider can create a weapon from thin air and perform the same feat with that bloody spear.

"!"

[CRASH]

Li Shuwen performs a stomping action.

"Guh..."

The purple haired knight was able to evade his attack.

However, the spirits are straining him.

He's almost run out of mana.

"I see that you are at your limits."

The Chinese man halts his attacks.

Julius uses that chance to take a respite.

His breathing becomes ragged.

"You... Why are you doing this?" He asks the stranger.

The Chinese man hides his hands under his garb.

"I am letting you rest. It appears our bout is causing a strain on you."

Once again, Julius Euclius is baffled.

His opponent noticed his circumstances, yet the stranger is willing to spare him.

"Who are you?" The knight inquires.

"Didn't I declare it before hand? I am Li Shuwen, a martial artist."

"..."

The stranger wasn't answering his question.

What he wants to know is his reasoning, his purpose.

Julius assumes that this man is a part of the same cult who razed many of Lugnican settlements.

If this is true, why won't the man finishes him off?

The rumours circulating about the cult all stated that these cultists are merciless.

Yet, the man before him is different.

"I see that you are confused. Do you have a question?" The Chinese man asks.

Julius is startled by the man's offer.

"You are willing to answer a question from your enemy?"

"HAHAHAHA...!"

His opponent laughs heartily.

"I never consider you as an enemy. Instead, I consider you as an opponent. There is a distinct meaning behind these words."

The knight is confused by the man's statement.

"Allow me to explain my definition of an enemy. An 'enemy' to me means something to be destroyed at all cost. On the other hand, an 'opponent' is someone to be respected, a combatant to be challenged." The Chinese man states his opinion.

"I won't kill a weak opponent. It is against my creed. I wish to fight against a worthy adversary, someone who can force me to go all out. Perhaps, he's someone like Sasaki Kojirou." He declares with a smile.

At that remark, Julius forms a tired smile.

Li Shuwen is an honourable man.

It doesn't matter if he's an enemy to Lugnica.

He is worthy to be called a knight.

"Oh, you're ready for our next round? Your breathing has stabilized." The martial artist says eagerly.

Julius Euclius flicks his blade.

"You are indeed noble, Li Shuwen. However, I have no intention of losing here."

Yes, Julius is not ready to die yet.

His lady, Anastasia is waiting for him to return to her side.

He can't be dying under someone else's orders.

"HAHAHAHA...!"

The Chinese man let out another hearty laughter.

He takes out his fists from under his garb.

"I wonder if you can survive my next move, lad."

The purple haired knight concentrates the spirits on his blade.

" _DŪN XIÀ—_ "

The martial artist was about to launch his technique.

"AL HUMA...!"

"Wha—"

Then, it happens!

Li Shuwen performs a quick movement.

However, his left foot was frozen.

The one who casted the spell has a smirk on his face.

"That's... for ambushing me..." The cat eared knight says weakly under the rubbles.

"Dammit...!"

The Chinese man struggles to break free.

"It is my victory, Li Shuwen."

Julius declares his triumph.

"AL CLARISTA...!"

Julius' blade is imbued with elemental spirits.

It's a rainbow-coloured attack that can pierce most defence.

Once, this attack was unable to pierce through a barrier spell.

Now, Julius has tweaked the technique.

The knight surges forward with the speed of storm.

He is a hurricane that will blow away his opponent.

[SPLAT]

"GUOH...!"

And Li Shuwen was pierced.

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

Is this supposed to be the loot house?

There's nothing left standing...

"Kojirou...!"

?

Reinhard suddenly runs off towards a direction.

...

!

Oi, oi...

I make my way to Reinhard's side.

The red haired knight is kneeling before an injured man.

...

It's hard to believe my eyes...

Someone killed Sasaki Kojirou.

"Kojirou, can you hear me...!?"

Reinhard begins shaking the dead body.

"Reinhard, I think... he's dead."

The young man stops rocking the body.

...

Who managed to defeat the legendary swordsman?

"I am not dead... yet... Reinhard, please... don't shake me again."

!

"Kojirou...! You're alive!" The red haired knight exclaims in joy.

"Yes... But I'm a bit spent..."

...

I let out a sigh.

I guess Sasaki is not that easy to be killed.

"We need to take him to safety." Reinhard says to me.

"Yeah... But first, we need to treat his wounds."

I kneel as well.

...

The samurai is still reluctant to see me in the eye...

"Reinhard, give me the rest of your coat."

* * *

/~after turning Reinhard's coat into bandages~/

* * *

I successfully wrap Sasaki's wound.

We had to discard Sasaki's coat since it was torn apart.

"Can you move?"

The samurai nods as an answer.

Reinhard and I support him to stand.

"Subaru, you said Felix is around. Where did he go?" The red haired knight asks.

I reply by shrugging.

"I have no idea... He's just run off like that without telling me anything."

"This presence..."

?

Sasaki suddenly muttered something.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY...!"

!

The samurai pushes both of us.

[Zing]

[EXPLOSION]

...

What just happened?

Just now, I saw a laser beam passes by my head.

"Guh..."

!

"Sasaki-san...!"

He's currently using his sword as a crutch.

"Don't come close, Subaru-dono...! It's a witch!"

!

[ZING]

[EXPLOSION]

Another laser passes by, detonating the place where I used to stand.

However, I am unscathed.

...

"Subaru, are you alright...?"

...

Reinhard, you should stop making me look like a damsel in distress...

"Put me down..."

Yep, he carried me in princess carriage...

This is so embarrassing...

"Hoho... I didn't expect to see you again, Sasaki Kojirou."

?

Who the—

Sasaki is currently pointing his sword at one robbed woman.

"You... Why are you here?"

"Let's just say I'm carrying out my duties."

The woman raises her hand.

[Swoosh]

In a split second, the samurai cuts the woman into two.

?

The dead body... it disappears?

"How foolish..."

[ZING]

"GAH...!"

!

Sh-she shoots lasers from her palm!

And Sasaki is being hit by it!

"Kojirou...!"

Reinhard reaches for his sword handle.

"Not so fast, young man."

"Kuh...!"

A grunt comes out from his mouth.

?

"Reinhard...?"

The knight remains frozen.

...

The robbed woman appears before us.

She floats slowly towards us.

"Thanks to your Blessings, I am now more powerful than before. Your world's mechanic is very intriguing, young Sword Saint. It bestows Divine Protections upon those who deserve them."

The woman giggles.

She begins caressing Reinhard's face.

"You must be wondering why you weren't immune to my spell. And you must be wondering why you lost your Blessings."

She continues to caress his face.

...

Damn, that's gross...

I don't mind Emilia-tan caressing my face though.

In fact, that would be heavenly...!

"The answer is simple... Our existences overwrite your worth. Each of us possesses a similar ability in our previous lives. Even upon arriving in this strange world, the world itself acknowledges our significance, granting a similar ability to us."

...

What is she rambling about?

"Your Divine Protection of Magic Resistance acts very similar to Altria's Magic Resistance. She manages to usurp that Blessing due to her compatibility. The same thing could be said about our wraith."

She turns toward the mortally wounded Sasaki.

"You... witch..."

"You flatter me." She giggles.

She points her palm towards him.

"Vitrification, an ability to stay calm regardless of the situation... Somehow, this world has a similar Divine Protection."

Her palm begins to glow.

"I wonder if you can survive if I blow up your head."

...

This woman...

"YOU'RE TOTALLY OPEN...!"

[SMACK]

I land a punch on her face.

She was startled by the event.

...

That wasn't very gentleman of me.

"You insolence—"

Then, she gasps.

"You... How can you move inside my boundary field?"

?

"I don't know what you are talking about. But..."

I pick up Sasaki's sword.

"I won't let you hurt my friends!"

...

YES!

I can finally spout some heroic lines!

 **[Insert Music: Redo by Konomi Suzuki]**

?

She suddenly points her palm at me.

!

[ZING]

"WAH...!"

I forgot that she could shoot lasers!

"I was planning to save you for last. But you annoy me. Very well, I shall torture you as I see fit."

She begins floating.

!

I pick myself up and run away.

[ZING, ZING, ZING]

[EXPLOSION]

"Yikes...!"

I dodge to my left.

...

I am carrying a sword but I can't use it against her...!?

What's its function then!?

[ZING]

"GWAH...!"

I need to find a safe place...!

I make a dash towards nearby ruins.

"You won't get away."

I hear she says.

Let's see if you can catch me!

I slide under a sizeable hole.

[ZING]

[EXPLOSION]

...

The shrapnel from her explosions manage to graze my cheek.

At least my plan to keep her away from Sasaki works...

Now, how the heck am I supposed to defeat her?

She can shoot lasers from far.

And she's flying!

I can't hit her if she's fifteen feet airborne.

I can toss the sword but I'm not sure it will hit...

Plus, she can just shoot it down.

...

Dammit...!

Is there anything that I can use?

Anything—

...

I stare at the reflection of my own face.

Man... Sasaki's sword is so sharp.

...

!

I got an idea.

Smirking to myself, I move away from my hiding place.

[ZING]

!

Dammit, she's still firing!

I roll on the ground.

"Hmm...? That's an odd choice... even for a foolish child. You are actually surrendering yourself to me?"

?

"GUOH...! I accidentally roll in her direction!"

"Enough of this childishness... I will end it here."

Her hand glows.

[ZING]

[SPLAT]

And victory is mine.

[Thud]

Her body falls down to the ground.

"How's that...!? I'm not that useless after all! HAHAHA...!"

It was a simple thing actually.

 _Reflection of light_

I can't believe my Physic class actually saved my ass...

Lasers are considered as light.

When I inspect the sword in my arm, I finally realize that 'light' is reflecting my face.

The sword was so well made that it can form reflection.

I take my chances and deflect her spell.

Fight fire with fire, fight magic with magic.

Well technically, I'm fighting her with science...

A simple deflection won't hit her.

I actually calculated the angle before shoving the sword forward.

I used to play RPG that needs angle calculation.

I'm glad that helped!

[Clattering]

?

!

"More of these things...!?"

The mob skeletons are surrounding me!

I brandish the sword in my hand.

"Oi, oi... I'm not that weak. After swinging a _shinai_ over a hundred times for no good reason, I consider myself to be quite good with a sword."

Ignoring my courageous lines, the skeleton warriors charge.

"UOOOOH...!"

[CLATTER, RATTLE]

That's two!

"GRAAAH...!"

[CLATTER]

That's three!

[SPLAT]

"Kuh..."

...

One got me.

Smirking to myself, I swing the sword.

[Rattle]

There's a gash on my shoulder.

It hurts...

But, it's nothing compare to Reinhard's and Sasaki's.

"I CAN TAKE YOU GUYS ON...!"

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

(Subaru Natsuki's point of view)

...

That's one fancy ceiling...

...

?

Where the heck am I?

I sit up on the comfy bed.

?

Comfy bed...?

"Good, you're awake."

?

A man with long gray hair enters the room.

Who is this guy?

"You must be Subaru Natsuki. My daughter always speaks badly of you." The man in his late forties says.

...

Isn't it supposed to be different?

I want a _bishoujo_ , not some cool old guy talking about his daughter—

?

His daughter...?

"My name is Gray Jelton. It's been awhile since I return to the capital. You did a great job back there."

...

Gray...

Isn't that the name in that portrait in the Jelton's residence?

...

!

"You're Marina's dad...!"

The man chuckles at my remark.

"What took you so long?"

...

"Hey, what's going on? I thought I was fighting a horde of skeleton mobs."

The handsome man sits on a chair beside my bed.

"Oh that? I take them all out. The witch manages to escape though."

...

"HUH...!? You wipe them up all by yourself...!?"

"He is called a war hero for a reason."

A familiar voice is audible.

"Kirei..." I mutter the newcomer's name.

The Japanese man smirks.

"How is your wound?"

...

?

I don't feel any pain...

I slide my arm under my white shirt.

...

Not a single wound left...

"Felix has done a good job." The Japanese knight nods to himself.

...

Those were my battle scars...!

There goes my glorious solo-stand...

"How is the young Sword Saint doing? Is he alright? I heard his Divine Protections were stolen." The man with gray hair asks.

"He is cooping nicely." Kirei replies.

...

Suddenly, the long haired man stands up.

"I will be visiting my family. I plan to visit Galahad's grave while I'm on it."

"Very well... I'm sorry for your lost." Kirei says with sad tone.

Instead of responding, Gray walks out from room silently.

...

Now what?

"So Natsuki Subaru, did you find your little adventure thrilling?" Kirei suddenly addresses me by my full name.

...

"A little too intense in my opinion..."

The knight merely nods.

...

"So, are you planning to recruit me?"

The man startles from my remark.

"I beg your pardon...?"

"Oi, oi... I fought an army of skeleton mobs. I even wounded a witch that can defeat Reinhard and Sasaki."

The Japanese man muses.

"As grand as it sounds, I simply find your statement to be quite untrustworthy."

...

"You weren't there when I fought that witch...! I was so awesome!"

Kirei simply chuckles at my retort.

"Keep dreaming, Natsuki Subaru."

* * *

/~an hour later~/

* * *

Damn that Kirei...

He thinks he's so tough.

I bet even he can't stand a chance against that witch!

"Yo, Subaru-kun...! How is it going?"

?

A familiar voice greets me from the back.

I turn around to face him.

"Oh, it's you Robin."

The Prince of Thieves makes a toothy grin.

"I heard you fought a witch all by yourself."

"Yeah, I did." I declare with haughty tone.

The brunette man stares at me as if I have grown two heads.

"Well... I don't think you're lying. But, I simply find that hard to believe." He says while shrugging.

"Oh come on! I risk my ass to fight that flying woman! I even saved Sasaki and Reinhard!"

Robin simply scratches his head.

"I dunno... It's hard imagining you winning against... anything."

...

[Sigh]

I let out a sigh.

"I wish Emilia-tan could see my heroic stand..."

"Speaking of Emilia..."

?

All of a sudden, Robin brought up Emilia.

"I heard Kirei is planning a visit to Mather's territory. Maybe he'll let you come along."

!

"Really...!? That would be awesome!"

The brunette man smiles softly.

...

"You're not coming?"

At my remark, he startles.

"You're asking me to tag along? I thought you hate me."

...

After all we have been through, I consider Robin to be my friend.

He risks his life to save me in the previous walkthroughs.

Once, he even got killed.

"Well, the more the merrier, right?"

The young man shrugs.

"As much as I enjoy travelling, I cannot join this venture. I skipped too many of Kirei's ethic classes so I had to attend the remedial."

...

Being a knight is tough...

...

"Hey Robin, where can I find Sasaki...? I need to talk to him."

"About time you ask... He's in the barrack as usual."

* * *

/~at the barrack~/

* * *

When I arrive, Sasaki was standing idly in front of a training dummy.

"Sasaki-san..." I call out to him.

The former samurai spares me a glance.

He seems... upset.

"Good morning, Subaru-dono."

...

I walk towards him slowly.

Sasaki doesn't have his sword with him.

What is he doing in front of a dummy then?

...

"Hey Sasaki-san, about before—"

"I am very sorry, Subaru-dono. I cannot train you."

...

"In addition, I find myself to be very weak."

?

What is he talking about?

"Against that man, against that witch... I was defeated. I was thoroughly overwhelmed. I am weak..."

...

"But Sasaki-san, you're strong in my opinion."

The former samurai finally looks at me in the eye.

"I don't know how 'strong' people depict weaknesses... But I do know that you are far stronger than I am." I say to him.

The Japanese man smiles wryly.

"I appreciate the thought, Subaru-dono. However, I am still upset."

...

"What is making you upset?"

Sasaki moves his hands and clenches his fists.

"My bout with Li Shuwen will never conclude."

?

Oh, I forgot...

He was fighting Li Shuwen.

"I was defeated. But he spared my life. He was hoping for a rematch with me. I was unable to utilize _Tsubame Gaeshi_ to the fullest."

...

"Why do you sound like you'd never see him again?"

The samurai turns his head slowly towards me.

"He was slain by our comrade, Julius Euclius. While I don't despise his victory, I am a bit sad by the fact that I can't fight Li Shuwen again."

...

That Julius...?

"Also the fact that Li Shuwen was unable to behold the true _Tsubame Gaeshi_... I will find the finest blacksmith in Lugnica and ask him to forge me a sword. This tragedy should not be repeated. A warrior such as him should die by an honourable combat."

...

"Subaru-dono..."

?

"I am sorry for not entertaining you. I simply can't accept your _Bushido_ (way of life)." Sasaki asserts his opinion.

...

"It is okay, Sasaki-san. I understand that I'm not a samurai material."

The Japanese man tilts his head.

"But I do believe I can be a knight." I add.

The legendary figure smirks.

"I am in no position to chastise you regarding that. I'm just a squire. I am not a full pledged knight."

I give him thumbs up.

"I will become a knight. And I will beat you to it!"

The man chuckles at my declaration.

"We'll see about that."

* * *

/~a day later~/

* * *

Kirei summons me to his office.

I wonder what he wants with me...

?

There's a white haired girl walking towards the same direction.

She is wearing a white cloak.

Her long hair reaches her waist.

...

"Hey..." I call out to her.

The girl turns to face me.

Her amber eyes are questioning my existence.

"I haven't seen you around before. A new maid, perhaps...?"

I give her a toothy grin.

The amber eyed girl suddenly closes her eyes.

"Oh... A pitiful soul who believes he is better than everyone. Please punish him, O' Divine Beings."

She clasps her hands together and prays.

...

Wait, she is mocking me, isn't she?

"Hey you... Why are you treating me like I'm the most sinful human in this world?"

She opens her eyes.

"That is precisely what you are. You believe that you are important yet you are simply a peasant."

...

"You are annoying, you know that?"

"I can say the same about you, o' pitiful soul."

...

I am about to meet the most annoying guy that I ever know...

I don't know which one is worst, that guy or this girl.

I resume walking.

[Footsteps echo]

...

...

...

"Could you stop following me?"

The white haired girl closes her eyes and clasps her hands again.

"O' pitiful soul, you are so hopeless. You believe that I was following you but it is you who are following me."

...

This is annoying...

"Could you stop doing that?"

She opens her eyes and tilts her head.

"Stop clasping your hands whenever you want to say something. I find that annoying."

And she closes her eyes again...

"O' pitiful soul... Please punish yourself for ever speaking. Your very existence is not significant. O' Divine Beings, please purge this man from this very plane."

...

Let's... just ignore her.

I resume walking.

[Footsteps echo]

...

It's rather annoying to have this girl walk besides me...

If I say something, she's going to spout annoying nonsense again...

* * *

/~Kirei's office~/

* * *

There are a number of people present.

Besides Kirei, there is Felt and Reinhard...

And there's Ferris-san...

And an old guy in butler suit...

And there's a beautiful woman in man's outfit...

...

Who are these people?

"I told you before; I don't want to be a candidate anymore! I had enough of this farce!" The sole blond in this room yells.

"But Felt-sama, you cannot revoke your decision." Kirei states his opinion.

Reinhard solemnly nods.

"I am sorry to defy your wish, Felt. But you mustn't take this Election business lightly." The beautiful woman with long green hair says.

The blond girl pouts.

"I thought it would be easier for you if I step down from the Election."

The woman closes her eyes.

"My position has no significance in this debate. You need to take responsibility for your choices. You choose to be a candidate. So please uphold your duty."

...

What is all this about?

"Hmm...? Karen...? When did you return?"

Kirei suddenly addresses someone.

Who's Karen?

?

The white haired girl besides me steps forward and clasps her hands.

"I arrived last night, father."

...

...

...

"SHE'S YOUR DAUGHTER...!?"

"Subaru- _kyun_... Tone down a bit, please?"

The cat eared guy says with tired voice.

Currently, he's cross-dressing again...

"Who is this man?" The beautiful woman with amber eyes asks.

"This is Subaru Natsuki. He played a large role in subduing the Dragon Witch Cult." Kirei informs her.

"I see..."

The woman stands up and walks towards me.

"My name is Crusch Karsten. I am a candidate to the Royal Election." She introduces herself.

"Oh... Please to meet you."

...

Does that mean she'll be up against Emilia-tan?

?

Suddenly, Reinhard approaches me.

"Good day, Subaru. How are you feeling?"

"I don't think I'm sick... How are you?" I ask him back.

The young man smiles at me.

"I'm doing fairly well. I'm glad you didn't suffer any complications from your old wounds."

...

I glance at Ferris.

"I told you I can fix you up even if you're half-dead _nya~_." He playfully forms cat paw gestures.

?

The old man in butler suit is eyeing me.

"Can I help you, sir?"

At my statement, he stammers.

Slowly a smile forms on his face.

"Please don't call me by that title. I am no longer a knight."

?

He retains the smile after finish speaking.

"Ara...?" Ferris tilts his head at the butler's action.

!

All of a sudden, Crusch is in front of me.

"You are one interesting young man." She remarks.

...

Then, she steps backward.

"We will continue this discussion in another day, Kotomine."

Kirei replies with a smirk.

She glances towards Felt.

"I wish we can be good rivals."

The blond girl averts her face.

"Ferris, Wilhelm, let us take our leave. Our business is concluded for the time being."

Her two attendants bow as sign of acknowledgement.

That's minus three people in the room...

?

Felt suddenly stands up.

"I'm going to get some fresh air..."

The girl in yellow gown walks passes me.

"I will make sure she's alright." Reinhard claims.

...

That's minus two more people.

"I'll leave you to your business, father."

And that's minus one...

...

They leave me alone with Kirei...

The Japanese knight makes his way to his seat.

...

"So, why did you summon me?"

The man clasps his hand on his desk.

"Would you like to become an ambassador?"

?

"An ambassador...?"

He nods.

"Basically, you'll be a messenger to our faction. I am in dire need of a good messenger."

...

"Why me...? Do I look like a postman to you?"

Kirei chuckles at my remark.

"An ambassador is not necessarily someone who conveys a message. You will be our representative in a different territory. Every choices, every decisions will affect our standings."

?

"Wait... Isn't that a bit—"

"Yes, it is risky. One misstep from you, all of us will be blamed. Even Reinhard, Robin and Sasaki..."

?

"Wait... Why is Reinhard included in the equation?"

He gives me his signature smirk.

"That young man is officially Felt's personal knight. The van Astrea and Kotomine family has joined forces as a faction. We serve Lady Felt, the candidate of our choosing."

...

"Oi, oi... This is big... Why are you giving me such difficult role?"

He smirks again.

"Because I believe in you..."

...

?

" _Yorokobe shounen_...! Your wish is granted...! You can meet your precious Emilia!"

...

"I was wondering when you are going to ' _Yorokobe_ '..."

...

?

"Hey... What do you mean I can meet Emilia?"

The Japanese knight closes his eyes.

"You are our ambassador to Emilia's camp. We cannot send Robin or Sasaki due to their status as squires. We need someone with low profile."

...

"Basically, I'm a spy."

Kirei was startled by my statement.

"That is the worst thing you could have spouted... If you were caught claiming as such, you will be killed."

...

"My bad..." I scratch my head.

"Natsuki, mind your tongue. As ambassador, your tongue is a trigger. One mistake from your mouth, and war will trigger."

...

[Sigh]

The man let out a sigh.

"So, do you accept or not?"

...

This will be my biggest decision yet.

I am about to be someone important.

...

I form a smirk.

"Naturally, I will accept."

#Chapter End#

* * *

[Author's note]

Subaru is an ambassador!?

What kind of catastrophe will happen!?

Let us wait for the next volume.

The next chapter will be the epilogue for Volume 2.

Thanks for reading!


	13. Epilogue

Epilogue

* * *

Crusch Karsten and her attendants are seen approaching a dragon carriage.

The said carriage is being guarded by two men.

"Crusch-sama, Felix-sama, Wilhelm-dono..."

A black haired young man addresses every single one of them.

His partner, a white haired young man bows silently.

"Be at ease, Diarmuid, Siegfried." The young woman allows them to act casual.

The former Lancer class Servant was eager to inquire.

"How was the negotiation? Did it go well?"

The head of Karsten house simply closes her eyes.

"For now, the negotiation is halted."

The eldest man among them is scowling.

"Ara...? What is it, Wilhelm?"

Felix Argyle, Crusch's right hand knight asks.

The aged man glances toward the sky.

"This negotiation must not be delayed any longer. Soon, the 'White Whale' will appear. We need to be ready."

His master, the amber eyed noblewoman nods.

"Wilhelm is correct. Preparation is a must and need to be thorough. Alas, the groundwork will be for naught if we missed the target."

The two squires simply remain hushed.

They have no need to speak.

"By the way Wilhelm-san, just now I saw you smiled when that guy called you a 'sir'." The cat eared knight in a dress brings up the subject.

At the mention of it, Wilhelm van Astrea forms a radiant smile.

"I took a liking to his eyes. He reminds me of a certain red head."

" _Unya~..._? What part of Subaru- _kyun_ resembles Shirou- _kyun_? All he did was whining."

The cross-dresser makes a cat paw gesture.

"It was his determination."

Crusch decides to interject.

All of them pay attention to their master.

"While he is indeed weak, I can speculate that he is at least as determined as Shirou. Judging from how Reinhard regarded him, Natsuki Subaru is trustworthy."

Felix wasn't very convinced.

"Hmm... I think you need to be careful, Crusch-sama. Your way of judging him is a bit off mark from usual. I don't want you falling prey to Subaru- _kyun_ savagery."

At his remark, Crusch giggles.

"Maybe... However, my meeting with Shirou does change my perspective."

"Ara~...?"

A cat smirk appears on Felix's face.

"St-stop it...! Don't say a word...!"

"I guess a maiden in love can be easily teased." The demi-human muses.

The young woman is still flustered.

"En-enough with this farce...! We shall depart to our residence!" She makes her way into the carriage hastily.

Once she's inside, Diarmuid Ua Duibnhe shakes his head.

A small smile is apparent on his face.

"Felix-sama, please don't tease our master like that. A maiden's feelings shouldn't be toyed."

The cat eared knight bumps his own head.

"My bad...! But it's a golden opportunity. I haven't able to tease her since Fourier—"

"Felix..."

It was a stern tone from Wilhelm.

"Oh... I should keep my mouth shut." The demi-human says in shamed tone.

It was a taboo subject for the Karsten camp.

"We should get moving."

Siegfried decides to break the discomfiture.

Nodding to his suggestion, all of them ride the carriage.

Diarmuid and Siegfried are manning the steer.

Felix, still feeling gauche from his botched attempt at humour, sits across Crusch.

It appears the woman was aware of the subject.

Since there was no other option, Wilhelm had to sit besides Felix.

[Growl]

The dragons that run the carriage growl as they start moving.

[Galloping footsteps]

It was an awkward scene inside the carriage.

"Crusch-sama, I—"

"There's no need to say anything, Felix. I know that you mean well." The woman cuts his excuse.

The demi-human hangs his head in guilt.

Several minutes passes and the occupants of the carriage remain muted.

The cat eared knight was ashamed to say anything else.

Wilhelm simply has nothing to say.

"You know... I think it's stupid to stop talking about him."

Crusch breaks the silence.

Both of her attendants glance towards her.

"I was speaking about Fourier."

She makes a simple remark.

It comes as a shock to Felix and Wilhelm.

It was Crusch herself who banned the topic.

Now, she is willing to speak of him.

"It was my foolhardiness. I was unaware of his circumstances." She adds.

The two attendants remain quiet.

"His last words... His confession... I wonder how I should act. If he was alive, where will I be right now?"

She questions her past.

Then, a smile appears on her face.

"Shirou once told me that I shouldn't dwell in the past. I shouldn't mourn over the dead. That won't make them happy."

Felix slowly meets her gaze.

"I believe Fourier would be happy if we speak of him often. He is that kind of person." She remarks with a radiant smile.

Her right hand knight was moved.

The cross-dresser wipes the tears on his eyes.

"Crusch-sama..."

Still retaining her smile, Crusch Karsten opens the window by her side.

[Air drafting]

"Life isn't a game. Things may go south from now and then. But as a living human, we need to move forward. The dead will stay dead. And nothing will change that."

The woman turns toward her attendants.

With her hair fluttering, blown by the wind, she beams again.

"At least that is what Shirou told me."

Felix Argyle wipes the tears of his face again.

"Yes, Crusch-sama...!"

Wilhelm van Astrea could only smiles at the scene.

He is proud of his master.

And he is proud to meet such eccentric man.

* * *

/***Interlude 1***/

* * *

A blond woman is seen lamenting on her throne.

The throne room is dimly lit, giving an eerie feeling.

There were no other visible decorations, only the throne.

The sole light source is the blue flame besides the woman in black dress.

However, her black dress is stained with blood.

"Why...? Why...!?" She questions nobody at the moment.

She slices her own hand with a knife.

[Audible footsteps]

A tanned man in butler outfit enters the scene.

"Calm down, Jeanne. You are hurting yourself."

"SHUT UP...!" The amber eyed woman yells at the white haired man.

The man quietly approaches her.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME...!"

[Flame crackles]

She throws black flames towards the butler.

It is the flame of hatred, a symbol of Jeanne's anger.

However, even being burn by the black flame, the tanned man forces himself to step forward.

In fact, the flame didn't even harm him.

"I TOLD YOU, STA—"

Her statement was muffled.

Her lips are being locked with the man's lips.

She struggles to escape.

She stabs the man's shoulder with the knife, and even claws his face.

Nevertheless, her effort was fruitless.

The man didn't even flinch at her assaults.

The blond woman stops struggling, and let the man has his way with her.

After a while, the man finally let go of his prey.

He pulls out the knife in his shoulder and tosses it away.

And the wounds heal immediately.

"Stop treating me like a slut..." The woman hisses at him.

A smirk appears on his face.

"Why would I do that? After all, you are the opposite personality of a Saint. I can't regard the Saint of France as a slut."

The woman purses her lips.

She is still angry from the previous event.

"You treat me like I'm your woman. Should I summon Altria to deal with you?"

The butler simply leans beside her.

"She is not the one I seek. The real Altria will refuse to see me. I did slaughter countless of innocent lives."

The man has a calm face.

The blond woman stares blankly at him.

"Why do you love me, Emiya? I am the opposite of your ideal woman."

The man snorts.

"After spending an eternity serving _Alaya_ , my definition of an ideal woman has changed. My ideology no longer holds true."

He stares at his palm.

"To be brought into this world at its death bed is like telling me to die again. I've lost my cause."

Then, his eyes intertwine with Jeanne's.

"Until I met you..."

The woman's face remains blank.

"Kill one to save ten. Kill ten to save a hundred. That's the philosophy that our little 'cult' hold."

"..."

Jeanne remains silent.

"You loathed this world. You despised its citizens. You abhorred its content entirely. Yet, you resolve to save it. I find it admirable." The tanned man smiles softly at her.

"..."

The man took that chance to steal another kiss.

"I'm sorry to disturb the lovebirds. May I come in?"

A voice EMIYA knew so well.

"Cu Chulainn, can't you be more intruding?"

Despite his statement, he was amused with the man's presence.

He was his former enemy.

Cu Chulainn, a legendary Irish warrior, master of his craft.

"I'm sorry that we've lost Li Shuwen. But we can just summon him from a different reality." He makes an offhanded remark.

"It won't be the same...!"

The blond woman is enraged once more.

"Why won't he listen to me? Didn't I tell him to stop talking? If he wasn't so absorbed with conversation, he wouldn't fell in the first place...!"

It was this very reasoning that she is upset.

She values every one of her men.

No matter how defiant, how stubborn they can be...

She values them as her family.

"Li Shuwen is a man who enjoys conversing with his foe. There's nothing we can do to change that." The tanned man remarks on the matter.

One of his alternate selves did fight against Li Shuwen.

He did not know which one and which reality.

However, he 'knows'.

It was a Divine Protection blessed upon him by this world.

 _The Divine Protection of Continuality_

It is a Divine Protection that allows the possessor to access memories of his alternate selves.

In other words, he has foreseen this outcome.

"A rather unsightly scene..."

A blond woman identical to Jeanne enters the fray.

She is well endowed in comparison to Jeanne.

Jeanne was not flat.

She is well endowed.

Nevertheless, this woman surpasses her in those terms.

"GYAHAHAHA...! That's a sudden change, Altria! So, what forced you to use _Rhongomynyad_?"

The Irish man comments on her features.

Yes.

Altria Pendragon will take this form whenever she activates the said Noble Phantasm.

"A worthy opponent, Athraim... I manage to secure one of the Dragon Jewels."

In her right hand, an orb is present.

"Very good, Altria..." Jeanne escapes from Emiya's embrace.

The alter Jeanne comments as she receives the orb.

"That means, we have 74 of them by now. 25 more orbs to collect."

[Sigh]

The Irishman sighs.

"Medea has discovered several more settlements. It would be wise for us to strike while their defence is not strong." Jeanne states as the golden orb floats on her palm.

"Shall I join the hunt?" The tanned man offers.

The altered Saint shakes her head.

"You will remain by my side. We need someone to suppress those 'two'."

At her remark, Athraim Cu Chulainn shivers.

"The thought of facing them scares me. I don't mind fighting a strong foe. But I can't handle immortal creatures."

Ignoring his statement, Jeanne proceeds to cast a spell.

A transparent image is shown before them.

Another blond woman is on the screen.

She was chained by countless chains.

Her formerly white dress is now tattered.

Realizing someone was eyeing her, she moves her head.

Jeanne's amber eyes meet red blood irises.

"Good day, Arcueid Brunestud."

"Had enough with your charade?" The chained woman asks.

The altered Saint smirks.

"Our 'charade' will commence until the end of time. Are you willing to join our cause yet?"

The shackled woman snorts.

"I have no intention of joining you."

"Very well... I'll visit you again in the future."

Jeanne taunts the True Ancestor.

The blond altered Saint disperses the screen.

"Why won't you just kill her? She is too dangerous to be kept alive." Athraim inquires.

"You are too paranoid, Athraim. You can kill her by your own hand right now. _Gae Bolg_ , no... _Gae an Bhais_ is a spear that surpasses your mentor, is it not?"

 _Gae an Bhais (Nec of Death)_

It was the modified version of _Gae Bolg_.

Unlike its original counterpart, this spear is tweaked to disregard luck.

Athraim Cu Chulainn created this spear by slaying his mentor.

It was thanks to Scathach's death that he was able to produce such powerful weapon.

"Geh... But she still scares me. She won't die if I don't use my spear."

[TREMBLING]

All of a sudden, the castle was rocked.

"What was that?"

Altria brandishes her spear.

Emiya knows quite well of this situation.

[Door slam]

"Jeanne...! She has escaped...!"

A pink haired girl with horns enters the scene.

Abruptly, several tentacles apprehend the horned girl.

"GYAAAHH...! SHE GOT ME!"

[Finger snap]

Black flames were casted.

It burns down the tentacles, freeing the girl from its menace.

"Eli, are you alright?"

The girl is still shaken from her experience.

Creepy giggles echo throughout the castle's corridor.

"Hehehehe... _senpai_..."

"She is as lunatic as ever..." Altria puts away her spear.

A white haired girl in black stripy dress appears before them.

"Sakura, what did I told you?" The tanned man chastises her.

The girl pouts at his remark.

"But _senpai_... I'm lonely."

"You know what...? I think you should spend some time with her, EMIYA." Athraim snickers as he suggests.

[Sigh]

The tanned man walks toward the girl.

"Come with me. I'll keep you company."

The girl giggles happily.

"Yes, _senpai._..!"

The two figure disappears from the scene.

Jeanne returns to her throne, feeling a bit annoyed.

"Why did you come here, Athraim? I believe you weren't here just to disturb us."

"So, you do enjoy it...! Admit it woman!" The Irishman snickers.

Her brows twitch.

"Okay, that's enough messing around... I came to report about what happened in Volakia."

He recomposes himself.

The blond woman nods as a sign to keep him talking.

"Knights of Round Table... They were in our way."

At his remark, Altria twitches.

"And yes, your ' _solas_ ' counterpart was leading them."

A smirk appears on her face.

"Is that so...? It's about time she shows up."

Jeanne's facial expression remains blank.

"So, are you going to 're-summon' Li Shuwen?" Athraim asks her.

The air in the throne room becomes heavy.

"Um... Lizzy will take her leave."

Elizabeth Bathory, who was there all along, decides to leave.

"Eli, wait a sec..."

All of a sudden, Jeanne halts her.

"What is it, Jeanne?"

The woman's expression goes soft.

"Is 'Jack' back yet?"

The small assassin hasn't return since her botched attempt at killing Natsuki Subaru.

"I'm afraid she is still MIA. I wonder where she went..." The dragon girl muses.

* * *

/***Interlude 2***/

* * *

A white haired girl is struggling with her wound.

"It hurts..."

The girl in rags continues to 'work' on her wound.

It was not a normal wound.

It was caused by a Noble Phantasm.

 _Yew Bow: the Bow of Prayer_

A Noble Phantasm owned by Robin Hood.

A normal person would have die from the poison within three days.

However, 'Jack' is not a normal person.

She was a heroic spirit.

She has been brought into this world by her 'mother'.

"Subaru-kun needs to die. He denied mother's wish. I won't return until I kill him."

And she resumes working on her wound.

* * *

/***Interlude 3***/

* * *

Inside an eerie room, lit only by candles, a woman in purple robe is looking over a floating image.

The said image is showing the face of Natsuki Subaru.

She removes her hood.

Purple hair and elfin ears were notable traits.

"How amusing... How did he reflect my magic with a mere sword?"

In her possessions, there's the sword used by Subaru.

"There is no enhancement. Is there a different secret behind it?"

The woman pauses.

After several minutes of silence, she decides to change the image.

A man with stern face is walking silently with the crowd.

"What is this trickery?"

It was a strange sight.

When she first arrived, something about this new world is irking her.

She was confused, perplexed.

She was supposed to die when she was struck in the back by that traitorous Archer.

Medea of Colchis still hold grudge for that.

However, the EMIYA in her faction was not the same individual.

He 'knew' about his counterpart's action thanks to the Divine Protection that he possesses.

Nevertheless, the man's presence still irks her.

He made snarky remarks regarding how careless she was...

"Souichiro-sama..." She carefully caresses the screen.

"I'm sorry to barge on your fantasies."

A voice disturbs her bliss.

The floating image disappears from their sight.

"What is it, Cu Chulainn?"

A man with scaly armour snickers.

"You seemed fine. I was wondering if you were okay after being hit by your own spell."

The purple haired woman clenches her teeth.

"Hey, don't get me wrong! I wasn't ridiculing you!"

Despite what he says, there is a hint of mockery.

Then, his face turns stern.

"Where is my 'solas' counterpart?"

Snorting at the man's demand, Medea channels a spell.

An identical Irishman is shown flirting with random women.

He blends well with the crowd thanks to his outfit.

The place is rather congested and a large stack of fishes were visible.

It appears to be some kind of marketplace.

"Kararagi, huh...? Jeanne won't let me attack that place recklessly." The Irishman comments after inspecting the whole image.

"Is that all, Setanta?"

She purposely calls him that in order to annoy him.

Instead of feeling aggravated, the man gives her a grin.

"Your younger self seems pretty cute. It's kinda a waste that she grows up to be a woman such as you."

"You—"

"After several years acquainting with that bastard EMIYA, one guy can get very sarcastic." He snickers.

Athraim knew how much Medea loathed her younger counterpart.

The strange thing is; she never bothers to finish her off.

Unlike Athraim who is 'chained' as the attack dog, Medea is free to venture out anytime she pleases.

"Could it be...? Are you still harbouring a wish to be innocent?" He taunts the woman again.

That was the last straw.

[ZING]

"Whoa...! That was a close call!" The man simply sidesteps to evade it.

The woman with elfin ears grits her teeth.

"If you wish for a fight, you got the wrong guy at the wrong place. I can easily finish you off right now. But Jeanne won't be happy if I do that."

[Sigh]

He let out a sigh.

Closing one eye and hands folded, the Irishman slants his back on the wall.

"So, when are you going to hand over the seal?"

That is his original goal.

"Jeanne let me keep it. I had no need to hand it over." She takes out a golden orb from under her sleeves.

"Well, isn't Jeanne a good master? She allows you to do anything as you please but she won't let me run free. Biasness, I call it!"

"Letting you run wild will be the end of this world." The woman says tiredly.

Knowing Cu Chulainn, he will challenge every warrior worth their salt.

"I do have a question for you, Setanta. When Lizzy and you were raiding that underground city, I heard you fought against 'interesting' opponents."

The Irishman raises his eyebrow.

"So...?"

"Can you describe them? Do you know who were they?" Medea inquires.

A scowl appears on his face.

"The first guy I fought was a complete fake. He's no warrior. Heck, he reminds me of that bastard, EMIYA. Damn hooded character."

The woman tilts her head.

After that, a grin appears on the Irishman's face.

"The next one is a fun guy. He was able to keep up with me. Nope... he was faster. Something tells me he was toying around. Not that I mind since I was toying around as well." He snickers.

"Did he happen to give you a name?"

The grin intensifies.

"His name is Sephiroth."

* * *

/***Interlude 4***/

* * *

A woman with tied orange hair is smirking.

In front of her is a slightly tanned man with awfully thin body.

"Now, DANCE...!" The red eyed woman gestures with a fan.

The man, who has white hair, nods.

"As you wish, Priscilla-sama..."

In his new set of clothes, apparel for an entertainer, he begins moving.

The thin man spurns into action.

A spin, a turn, a leap, and another turn...

Each movement is made with great precision.

"Um... I don't mean to interrupt your pleasure, Hime-sama. But... why are you making Karna dance?" A voice echoes under a helmet.

The one who was asking is a man with good body build.

One of his arms is missing.

"Ara, Al...? Why can't I make my servant dance out of whim?" The woman inquires.

The single armed man scratches his helmet.

"You got a point..."

As they speak, the tanned man is still dancing.

Suddenly, a young woman with pink hair enters the scene.

She is wearing a standard dress for maids.

A set of fox ears and tail are notable.

"Al-san~, Karna-san~, Priscilla-sama~, I have made us some tea~." The newcomer says with sing-a-song tone.

"Ara... What a thoughtful person you are." The orange haired woman comments on her offers.

"I thank you, Misukume. I was getting thirsty." The dancer stops for a beverage.

Meanwhile, the single armed man is musing.

"Hime-sama, are you preparing for a dance tournament?"

At his remark, Priscilla Barielle giggles.

"What are you talking about, Al? I'm merely satisfying my boredom."

"You're just as random as always..."

[Sigh]

* * *

/***Interlude 5***/

* * *

A man with long gray hair is kneeling before a tomb.

Besides him, his family members are present.

"Gray..."

His 'wife', a blond woman with brilliant blue eyes calls out to him.

There were signs of aging.

"If I was here, Galahad would still be alive..." The man mutters.

And he stands up tall.

"Myriam, Marina... Did he leave anything for me before he died?"

The youngest individual in the group shakes her head.

"I'm sorry, father. He didn't."

Then, the aged swordsman turns to his 'wife'.

She shakes her head.

[Sigh]

Still feeling melancholic from his lost, Gray Jelton decides to walk away from the grave.

"Let's go home."

The two women nod and follow his lead.

On their way, they walk pass a blond man with red blood eyes.

The blond man is staring at a single tomb.

It wasn't a tomb of someone significant.

In fact, it was just a tomb for a lowly maid.

The red eyed man can only be described as a noble.

His choices of clothing, the luxury of all men...

Why is he there?

"I didn't expect you to die this early, mongrel. It is unlike you." He utters.

Turning against the tomb, the man scowls.

"Emijah Cult, eh...? I'll punish you for messing with my treasury."

The glorious King of Heroes marches out from the cemetery.

* * *

/***Interlude 6***/

* * *

Jeanne and Altria are shown once more.

Both blond women are fully armoured.

They are approaching a certain cage.

[Wind blows]

They are not in the same castle anymore.

They are in different place.

" **It's a fancy seeing you here, Jeanne and my kin, Altria."**

Altria snorts at the voice.

"I would prefer not to be labelled as your kin, Volcanica."

[Tremble]

" **You can't deny your origin, Altria. You are a dragon, as am I."**

A single golden eye is visible.

The trembling comes from his movement.

The taller of the two women proceeds to approach the cage.

"It appears some groups are after your Jewels."

[Wind blows]

" **I see... So 'he' is on the move."**

A soft smile appears on Jeanne's face.

"Have little concern, Volcanica. We will guard you from their threat."

[Air draft]

" **I question your method."**

The alternate personality of a French Saint closes her eyes.

"Those sacrifices were necessary. We don't want to take the risk. Emijah and Satella shouldn't return to this plane."

" **I am with you in that notion. Yet, why do you despise the young man who wields my fang?"**

The blond woman has a blank face.

" **His personality reminds you of your alternate self, is he not?"**

She remains hushed.

" **Refrain from personal vendetta, Jeanne. Mankind is known to wrought destruction due to their self-righteousness."**

The woman grits her teeth.

"I... understand."

[Munch]

Much to her confusion, a strange munching sound was audible in the room.

"Altria... where did you get that...?"

Her 'twin' is munching on a potato snack.

"Medea found it while she was searching for loots. Since she knew that I love these things, she fetched it for me."

[Perceptible laughter]

" **You always amuse me, my kin."**

Little that they knew, that snack belongs to Subaru.

* * *

/***Interlude 7***/

* * *

Kotomine Kirei is having a private time with his daughter, Karen.

How is it possible?

The man didn't marry anyone in that world.

Or did he not?

"Father, why did you give such role to Natsuki Subaru? I simply cannot fathom your way of thought."

The former priest closes his eyes.

"It is merely on a whim."

The white haired girl tilts her head.

"Is it the same reason why you married my mother?"

At her remark, he opens his eyes.

"Yes."

It was half-truth.

Kotomine Kirei is a man who tells no lie.

While he didn't lie, he didn't tell the full truth.

The real reason why he married Karen's mother was because she resembles his wife in his previous life.

It was a quirk of fate.

Similar to his previous life, the woman was diseased.

Nevertheless, she wasn't ill from the very start.

She was a victim to the same epidemic that has been plaguing the country.

 _The Emijah plague_

Karen clasps her hands together.

"Is there anything I can do for you, father?"

The former priest smirks.

"Yes... Be a tester for my mapo tofu."

* * *

/***Interlude 8***/

* * *

Once again, Gray Jelton is shown.

This time, he is alone with Myriam.

The man is staring at his 'family portrait'.

"It's been more than twenty years."

He closes his eyes.

"Yeah... I'd never thought we'll end up in a different world after defeating Saruin. At least we're alive, right?" The blond woman besides him comments on the matter.

More than twenty years ago, Gray and his party fought against the evil god, Saruin.

Claudia, Galahad, Gian and Myriam were his companions.

His trusted blade, Demon Brand is still sheathed.

"Hey Gray, how's Claudia and Gian? You guys didn't get into a fight, did you?"

The man shakes his head.

"We were fine. How was your life, Myriam?"

The woman puts her hands on her waist.

"You dare ask, dear 'husband'? You were supposed to be Marina's father, not Galahad!"

She chastises the man.

Gray chuckles at her remark.

"I admit I am a lousy 'father'. I just like adventuring."

"Adventuring, huh? You mean by pretending you went missing after the Great War?"

The man shakes his head sheepishly.

"I came back, alright? I didn't expect my little venture ended up longer than it should."

[Sigh]

The woman sighs.

"Myriam..." Gray suddenly calls out her name.

She knew what's going to happen next.

"What killed Galahad...?"

"..."

She stares blankly at her 'husband'.

"Scorn's little puppet."

* * *

#End of Volume Two#

* * *

(Felt's point of view)

I arrived in some kind of garden.

"That Kotomine... What was he thinking?"

A gutter rat like me becoming the king?

What is wrong with these people!?

"Felt-sama...!"

!

A male voice is calling out for me.

That must that Reinhard.

"Tch... He's persistent."

[Air draft]

I dash away using my Blessing.

...

I ate Robin's bait.

Geh... Now that I think of it... that was stupid of me...

Why did I agree in the first place?

...

It's really simple...

He riled me up.

We have been acquaintance for several years.

Heck, I grow up with him.

He's always better than me.

Lock picking, pick pocketing, heist...

Every time he got better loot, he'll rub it to my face.

...

I really hate it when he did that...!

Old Man Rom is always there for me, telling me that I can surpass him in something.

But what is that something?

Ever since that botched heist three years ago, Robin started telling me to stop being a thief.

What was that supposed to mean?

I always retort to him that I can do better.

Then, he challenged to do something...

I forgot what it was but it's something unrelated to thieving.

But he won it anyway...

After that, he kept challenging me to do weird stuffs like reading, painting, singing, or dancing...

It's unrelated to thieving but it really riles me up when I lose.

...

Why?

Why did he challenged me to do all that stuff?

...

Because of his challenges, I end up eating his bait every time he throws it...

...

I stop my sprint.

" _Mou_...! Why is this happening to me...!?"

"Felt...?"

?

"Old Man Rom...? What are you doing here?"

The huge tanned man is carrying a rather large scissor.

"Well, I got a new job here in Kotomine manor. He offered me a garden to work after what happened in the slums."

...

I palm my face.

"Old Man Rom, why did you accept his offer? We'll be his puppet if we stay here."

The aged man glances at me.

"Maybe I want to be his puppet."

?

"Or maybe, I just want you to be safe."

...

"What are you talking about, Old Man Rom? We lived in that slum for more than a decade and nothing bad ever happened."

The man snorts.

"It appears you're still a child."

...

I grit my teeth.

"Old Man Rom, you're the last person I expect to say things like that!"

The tanned man puts down the giant scissor and moves his humongous hand.

!

"Oi, stop it!"

He's rubbing my head again!

He removes his hand with a smirk.

I pout at him for being rude.

"Okay, I will treat you like a grown-up. However, you have to listen to what I say. No retorting."

He sits down on the grassy floor.

I stare at him blankly.

"Well? Are you going to hear me out or not?" He asks.

...

I sit under a shady tree, just a foot away from him.

"Sulking, huh? Never mind..." He chuckles at my action.

...

"Felt, have you ever wondered about your real family?"

?

"Several years ago, when I found you nearby my hut, I was surprised to see a young baby with brilliant blond hair being abandoned in the slums. I can assure you, your hair is not a trait normally possessed by a commoner."

...

"Where are you going with this, Old Man Rom?"

The man smirks.

"I'm saying that there's a chance that you might be royalty."

?

"The Royal Family members have always been known for their luminous blond hair and ruby-like eyes which you possess. It didn't come as surprise to me when that Emblem glows in your hand. It is in your blood."

...

"Well, I was ignorant of it until Robin came along. That bastard really is a genius."

?

"Robin Hood is a gutter rat with no viable background aside from his name. You know how he is." The old man snickers.

...

"To be honest, I don't really like him at first. He's noisy, he's annoying and he's a rascal. He played pranks at me. I still remember the manure joke..." The tanned man shivers.

I cover my mouth.

That was a funny episode.

"But as time passes, I grow fond of him as I grow fond of you. Heh, he's like a grandson I never had."

...

"Maybe you don't realize it but you consider Robin to be a brother. You two fight like real siblings." The aged man points out.

...

"And you consider Shirou to be a love interest. That was so obvious."

!

"Ol-Old Man Rom...! Don't bring that up!"

"It's about time for you to fell for someone. It's part of puberty." The huge man says with a smirk.

I pout at him for being so blunt.

"S-so what...? I can't like him?"

The old man rubs his chin.

"I'm sorry to say, you looked like a little sister to him. From the way I see it, he didn't consider you to be a woman."

...

That's... a bit discouraging...

"Well, he's around somewhere in Lugnica. Maybe he'll change his mind after a few more years. You are still growing after all."

...

I nod at Old Man Rom.

"You're right! I'm still growing. I can be attractive in a few more years. Just wait for it, Shirou!"

My grandfather chuckles at my statement.

"I'm getting off topic. But, what I'm trying to point out is, this is the best path for you."

...

I stare blankly at the old man.

"The slums had been dangerous for you nowadays. You were inflicted with the plague. We were attacked by assassins. Fortunately, everyone was there to keep you safe. And luckily, Shirou was around when you caught the affliction. Rumours abound, only Felix Argyle can cure the infection."

...

"So, you're telling me to be a king?"

The large man closes his eyes.

"It's your choice. You can abstain if you want. However, we won't be going back to that slum."

...

"Oi, if we don't live in the slum, where should we live?"

He opens his eyes.

"Here."

...

"You think I like being here, working as a Royal Gardener? I look out of place in here."

...

"What am I doing is keeping you safe. This is the safest place I could think, and this is where you belong."

...

"You're wrong, Old Man Rom. You're wrong... I don't belong here."

The old man sighs.

"I'm afraid I have to refute that statement, Felt-sama."

!

A red haired young man comes into spotlight.

"Reinhard... were you spying on us?"

The knight shakes his head.

"No, I didn't. I only just arrived and coincidentally overheard your statement."

That everlasting smile remains on his face.

...

I stare at him blankly.

" _Ji..._ (*stare)"

His smile starts to falter.

" _Ji..._ (*stare)"

Sweat drop is showing up.

" _Ji..._ (*stare)"

"I am sorry...! I did eavesdrop on your conversation!" He bows down and apologizes.

I let out a sigh.

"It's pretty obvious you heard our conversation. You are one of the fastest knights in the kingdom."

He scratches his head as he chuckles.

Then, his face turns serious.

"I believe what Rom-dono said is true. You are safer under our protection."

...

"Not this crap again... Didn't I tell you that I don't want to be a candidate?"

The man smiles softly at me.

"Yes, you did. However, I believe you are the best choice on the throne."

?  
"Based on what basis?"

He closes his eyes.

"I believe in fate. Fate has led Kotomine-san to you, and you are led to me. I deem Fate has a plan for you in the future."

...

"What are you, a servant to fate?"

He chuckles at my remark.

"Nevertheless, I also believe that Shirou-san would be at ease if he knew you were safe."

!

"How did you know about Shirou...!?'

A soft smile appears once again.

"I met that man once. He is a gentle soul. It's hard to believe that he killed all those cultists."

...

"Though, it would come as a surprise to him if he knew the girl he met before was a candidate to the Royal Election." Reinhard adds.

"Yeah, he'll be surprised." I nod.

...

That guy... he's still out there, isn't he?

He was banished for using that power of his...

...

"Hey Reinhard, if I am the king can I revoke Shirou's expulsion?"

The red haired knight nods with a smile.

"Of course you can. It is within the king's power."

...

I form a smirk.

"Well, if I become a king, I'm going to tear apart this crappy kingdom. Are you okay with that?"

He blinks at my remark.

"If that is what you wish, I'll gladly support you."

...

"I'll work you down to the bones."

"Please be gentle with me, Felt-sama. I'm not that durable despite the rumours." He says with a chuckle.

With a grin, I turn towards Old Man Rom.

"Welp, I'm going to be a king. What do you think of that?"

The tanned man simply smirks.

"Show those nobles who's their mommy."

* * *

[Author's note]

That's the end of Volume 2.

I'll complement it with several EX chapters but they won't come out sooner.

Shirou's story and Crusch's side story is not over yet.

Plus, I decide to write a special chapter for Sasaki and Altria (Our favorite Blue Saber).

EX chapter 04 for RfN was the real prologue for Volume 2.

What about the final EX chapter of Volume 2?

Will it be the prologue to the third volume?

Before people start mistaking it, Sasaki's chapter is about Sasaki and the people he will meet.

He won't be meeting Altria in Lugnica, yet.

Saber Altria's chapter will be a chapter that explain Cu Chulainn's and Vlad's defeat in Volakia.

Did you guys forget about their attack?

Jeanne's castle and Volcanica's cage are beyond the Great Waterfall and beyond time.

Their dominion is outside of Satella's influence since it is outside of Re:Zero world.

It's about time I play with the Witch Cult.

Anyways, thanks for sticking with me until the end!

I'll be back with volume 3 and spin offs.


	14. EX Chapter 03

EX Chapter 03: Behind the Scene II

* * *

(Unknown's point of view)

When I came to it, I am surrounded with darkness.

"Open your eyes, Angra Mainyu."

A voice is telling me to open my eyes.

I cannot discern the voice...

It was a voice with a clear message.

However, I cannot discern whether it is a 'he' or a 'she'.

Reluctantly, I open my eyes.

...

Yet, I am still covered in darkness.

"Welcome back."

The same unidentified voice greets me.

I slowly turn my head around to search him.

There is a visible silhouette.

Judging from the shape of the silhouette, it is a man.

"Welcome back from nothingness. How does it feel?"

...

"It was cold and boring."

?

My mouth moves on its own.

I don't have full control over my own body...

"Is that so? How do you feel after being rejected twice by the Grail?"

?

Rejected twice...?

"Shut up. That accursed King Arthur... She denied my birth for the second time."

A chuckle is perceptible.

"Frustrating, isn't it? To be denied of your own existence. Within ten years, the Grail will be shut forever. You will have no chance of returning."

I could sense my teeth are clenching.

"Who are you? And why are you here? How did you pull me out from nothingness?"

My mouth questions the unknown man.

"Alas, I am but a mere man. I am known as ******. It's a pleasure to be your acquaintance, Angra Mainyu."

...

His name...

I realize that his name cannot be perceived by my senses.

A snort comes out from my nose.

"What's the matter?" The eccentric existence inquires.

"I wish for a name. That accursed title is what brought me here. There's no point calling me Angra Mainyu if I cannot perform my duty."

His statement is replied with laughter.

"HAHAHAHA...! If a name is what you wanted, I can make one for you."

?

The silhouette opens his palm.

"What kind of name would you liked?"

I sense a grin form in my face.

"Emiya Shirou."

!

That's—

"Well, isn't that redundant... Rather than taking his full name, how about wordplay...?"

?

"Emiya Shirou... Emi _jah_ _Shero_... How's that...?"

...

I think my body is confused by his wordplay.

"Are you kidding me? Turning the name into Finnish?"

"Well, the name is not that important. It's just something to call you, isn't it? ' _Jah_ ' is pronounced with a silent 'h'. And in Finnish, ' _Jah_ ' sounds similar to ' _Ya_ ' in Japanese."

...

They are playing with our family name...

[Sigh]

'I' let out a sigh.

"Whatever..."

...

"Is that all you came for...? To chat with me...?"

?

A set of white teeth is visible.

"How about if I give you full control over this 'thing'?"

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

(Unknown's point of view)

When I came to it, I'm on a relaxing bed.

...

What was that?

"Emiya-san...!"

?

That's a familiar voice.

"Eve...?"

I turn my head sideways.

A blond girl with red eyes is looking at me with relieved expression.

"You're finally awake, Rogue Reaper...!"

?

That's one voice I don't recognize.

I turn towards the source.

...

A-a clown...?

It was a man with considerable height.

While he has fancy apparel, his face is painted with contrasting colours.

"It is my pleasure to welcome you into my humble abode, Rogue Reaper...!"

...

He's... pretty high-strung.

"Roswaal-sama, should I call for Beatrice-sama? Our guest is not fully healed." A pink haired maid suggests to the clown.

It was the very same maid who greeted me when I first woke up in this place.

However, we didn't have time to converse.

...

I wonder why?

"Hmm... You are right, Ram dear. We might need Beatrice help with our guest. The curse on him is rather a strange one."

?

The maid nods.

[Door clicking]

Another maid enters the room.

It was the twin to the first maid.

She has blue hair in contrast to her sister.

She's currently holding a tray of tea set.

"Good work, Rem. Place it on the side table."

...

I am guessing the clown isn't just a normal clown...

He's probably wearing that makeup to let my guard down.

The way he orders around those maids is comparable to that of a noble.

The blue haired maid continues to place the tea set as instructed.

Eve, the blond girl from earlier is feeling tense.

I could see it from her face.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" The clown-like noble inquires.

"I don't mind at all."

The man proceeds and sits on an available chair.

...

Wait a sec...

How did he know that I was the Rogue Reaper?

"I will summon Beatrice-sama."

The pink haired maid declares.

The twin maids bow as sign of respect before leaving the room.

...

"Um... Please to meet you." I open a conversation.

"Roswaal L. Mathers...! That is my name. You can call me Roswaal if you want." He introduces himself.

I nod.

"I'm Shirou Emiya."

The man nods.

...

I'm guessing he's the one who brought me here...

If that's the case, then he must have ward off Cu Chulainn.

...

He's more powerful than I initially thought...

"Before you speculate anything, I am not the one who brought you here. I am merely housing you and your companion. The one who saved you was an ally of mine."

...

This guy is sharp...

He can guess what's in my mind correctly.

...

Or, he can read my mind with magic...

I am not familiar with Lugnican brand of magic.

There must be some kind of spell that allows a spell caster to read one's mind.

"If you have any question, feel free to ask. I have plenty of time to spend!"

...

Okay...

"Can you read my mind?"

The man was startled from my sudden question.

"There is a spell for mindreading. However, I didn't cast the spell on you." He answers with a smirk.

...

"Where am I?"

"You are in my residence, Mathers' manor. Geographically speaking, we are in Mather's territory. It is about three days from the Capital if you travel by normal means."

...

That's a very detailed answer.

...

For some reason, his presence worried me...

"Are you affiliated with the Kingdom of Lugnica?"

The man closes his eyes.

"Yes. I am affiliated with this Kingdom. My land is still within Lugnican influence."

...

"Are you aware that your land was under siege by outsiders?"

And his eyes are opened.

"Yes. I am aware of that."

...

"Nevertheless, I am prepared for such upshot. I have allies that I can trust." He adds.

I nod.

?

The man suddenly stands up.

"I suppose I should let you have your rest. You did fight against a powerful opponent. I appreciate your effort."

...

It's better if I keep quiet about Estamir.

Something about him is unsettling me...

"I'll take my leave."

[Door click]

...

"I don't like him." Eve makes a remark.

"Are you sure you should say that aloud...? He could probably hear you." I say to her.

The girl shakes her head.

"It doesn't matter if he hears it or not. He already knew that I dislike him."

...

"Emiya-san, we should get out of here as soon as possible. I feel like we're inside an enemy territory."

...

"I don't believe that's a wise choice. I'm injured and haven't fully healed. If I'm alone, I can escape this place easily. But I cannot risk getting you in danger."

The girl smiles softly.

"I can take care of myself. I am not a helpless child."

...

I shake my head.

"No. I won't let you get hurt."

[Sigh]

The girl let out a sigh.

"I suppose we could stay until you're ready to leave."

...

I can't take her along with me.

My adventures are dangerous.

Even if we do escape from this place, I need to find a place where she could stay safe.

I did promise her to get her home safe and sound.

But I have no idea how to do that...

My own world is destroyed.

There's no way for me to return to my home world.

I cannot say the same about hers.

However, I am not certain if I can safely return her as well.

I still have a goal to achieve.

Illya is somewhere in this world.

I will find her.

...

Saber, I wonder if you're okay.

...

I am forgetting something...

What is it?

What did I forget?

Toh—

?

"Emiya-san...?"

Eve brought me back to reality.

...

There's a large void in my heart.

And I cannot fathom why...

* * *

/***Interlude***/

* * *

A man wearing black overcoat is sitting in front of luxurious meal.

His long silver hair is carefully placed behind his chair.

He doesn't want his meal to be disturbed by his 'prized' hair.

His cat-like green eyes are eyeing the other occupants of the dining room.

A maid with short bob hair enters the room with a tray.

The blue haired maid serves a new set of dishes.

"Ah... How exciting. I have never been invited into such lavish feast before."

It was a lazy voice.

The owner of the voice is a man wearing dark red robe.

His face is not visible to the other occupants of the room.

There is one other man with similar get up.

"We never had the need to eat, Strife." The man comments on the situation.

A snort is audible.

Besides the silver haired man, another man is present.

His snow white hair is slicked back.

His azure eyes lazily glance towards the window.

He rather enjoys the scenery than indulging into conversation.

"You don't have to join us if you loath us, Vergil." The long haired man says to irk him.

Instead of retorting, his eyes wander towards the blue haired maid.

The said maid simply bows at him.

A demon...?

Or so he thought...

Japanese culture regards demons as Oni.

However, the demons in this world were rather 'humane' in comparison to the demons he knew.

[Door opened]

"Welcome my guests...!"

A man with strange sense of fashion enters the scene.

His face is dyed with paints of two distinct colours.

Accompanying him is the pink haired maid, the twin to the blue haired maid.

The four guests have varied reaction to the man's appearance.

The silver haired man, Sephiroth simply smirks.

Vergil, the man in blue overcoat, averts his attention towards the scenery.

Strife, a man in red robe, merely snorts.

Spite, a man with similar outfit to Strife, nods.

"It's a fancy meal, Roswaal. You don't have to go so far." The long haired man comments on the banquet.

"Ah... But it is a must! We have an important discussion after this."

The clown-like noble proceeds to sit on his designated place.

Since he is the host, he sits in the middle.

Then, he noticed that one man is missing.

"So, 'The Conqueror' is absent... Is he abandoning the alliance?" He inquires.

Strife takes a glass.

Rem, the nearby maid pours some wine into his glass.

"He is an ambitious man. He wishes to return to his own world and resumes his botched plan."

He swirls the glass.

"I see... So, he has no wish to assist me."

A disappointed tone came from Roswaal's throat.

"His presence is marked in the Gospel. One way or another, his actions will benefit us." Strife interjects.

The five men fall into awkward silence.

"Shall we eat?"

The silver haired man breaks the tension.

"That is a good idea. We shouldn't let Rem's hard work go to waste." The host of the banquet says.

* * *

/~after the meal~/

* * *

"I must say, this is astounding...! Why I have never taste food before...!?" Spite, a man in red robe muses.

"It is satisfactory..." Strife, his fellow man in red lazily remarks.

Sephiroth always have his smirk on.

Meanwhile, Vergil is simply glancing sideways.

Roswaal, the master of the mansion was content.

His guests enjoyed their meal.

"Shall we resume our discussion?"

Three men nod.

"Dragon Witch Cult..." Strife makes the opening statement.

"It was an unexpected company. I certainly didn't imagine a new power will come into play." Spite adds his opinion.

The maids were collecting the used dishes.

Roswaal clasps his hand.

"They were never mentioned in the translated part of the Gospel as well. We need to hasten the interpretation."

"They have men with unique personalities. Their combat prowess is amusing to say." Sephiroth joins the fray.

"Hoh... Someone else manage to impress you aside from Reinhard?" The nobleman muses.

At that remark, Vergil snorts.

"Someone who was born with such advantages cannot be considered a worthy adversary."

"Our world must have irks you more than I thought." Roswaal says with a smirk.

Once again, the white haired man snorts.

"Which leads to another question; why is he losing his Blessings? I find that intriguing." The silver haired man interjects.

" _Palingenesis_ , it is a special authority given to those from alien worlds." Strife answers the question.

The other occupants are showing great interest.

"While it is not stated in your Gospel, it is mentioned to me by our lord Emijah. Intruders from different universes will overtake the advantages of the people in here. Those who are reliant to their Divine Protections will find this... a bit disturbing."

The only half-demon in the room breaks his uncaring expression to show a smirk.

"Heh... Won't that be a great nuisance to the natives?"

Roswaal nods.

" _Palingenesis;_ the concept of rebirth or re-creation... This term is used in various contexts in philosophy, theology, politics, and biology."

"However, this term is what we describe as an Authority comparable to those of Sins Archbishop. Nay, it is far greater than simple Authorities." Strife adds.

"Hmm... So our current opponent is wielding such power. It's not a problem in our case." The silver haired man smirks.

The worshipper of Emijah nods.

"That is true. We are but intruders ourselves. Plus, there is a unique requirement for a _Palingenesis_ to occur."

"Oh? And would you mind elaborating?" The host of the banquet requested.

The man in red robe was more than willing.

"That would be compatibility. An individual must possess similar abilities or skills beforehand."

"I see... If someone of similar skills were to appear, my Divine Protection of Sorcery will be overwritten." He concludes.

"Yet, yours hasn't been taken." Spite interjects.

"The probability of it happening is higher if you possess so many Blessings at the same time." Strife adds.

The user of six elements is consuming all the new information.

"Still, I can't rest easy knowing my abilities will disappear."

"A simple countermeasure; kill every newcomer with similar abilities. _Palingenesis_ takes time to occur. The world will gauge the possibilities. Plus, _Palingenesis_ cannot take place if the world finds the newcomer is unworthy."

"You are awfully talkative, Strife." Sephiroth comments on his narrative.

"One of us has to be talkative. All Scorn ever does is... well... scorning." Spite interjects.

"Speaking of Scorn, when will he 'return'?" The master of the mansion inquires.

"Within a month... That hot head had better learn his lesson. If we wish to resurrect Emijah and Saruin, we need to play safe."

Sephiroth was amused by Strife's statement.

"So says the immortal. Unless the three of you are dead, you can return from Death as many times as you wish." The silver haired man says nonchalantly.

"Immortal or not, death is painful." Strife retorts to Sephiroth's statement.

The former champion of Shinra simply closes his eyes.

"Now, let us talk about the elephant in the room. Are you aware of Ultimecia's death?" Roswaal brings up a new topic.

That statement manages to win Vergil's attention.

"Someone has slain the Witch of Time?" Spite muses.

The master of six elements nods.

"It came as surprise to me. Ultimecia's ability is comparable to the Authority of Greed. Anyone who can bypass her ability is not someone to be underestimated."

The silver haired man pulls out a diamond shaped jewel from under his sleeve.

"She managed to leave behind a message. I didn't expect her opponent to be the same person I fought eight hundred years ago."

At his remark, the Emijah worshippers were shocked.

"Eight hundred years ago... Are you saying it's someone from Earth?" Strife inquires.

The silver haired man smirks.

"Altria Pendragon... So she's been hiding that weapon from me. Heh... I guess I can go all out against that woman once we meet again."

He crushes the jewel in his hand.

"They have snatched away the Dragon Jewel from Ultimecia." Roswaal closes his eyes.

"Not only that, they have razed Estamir..." Spite claims.

"And you did nothing to stop them...?" Strife questions him.

The man in question shakes his head.

"I planted a surprise. The real Jewel is in my grasp."

He pulls out an orb and places it on the table.

"So, have you figured out their modus operandi?" The head of the mansion inquires.

"Unfortunately, I haven't... However, I discover that Julius Euclius manages to slay one of their enforcers."

A smirk is apparent on Roswaal's face.

"That is all I need to hear. I can easily arrange another 'alliance' to deal with this pesky Dragon Guardians."

It was a simple plan.

Both sides are having feud.

Unknown to them, both sides were fighting for the sake of Lugnica.

One side is shielding the Dragon.

One side is protecting the Kingdom and its people.

Initially, only the Kingdom Knights have suffered casualties.

Now, with the Dragon Witch Cult losing a man, their warfare can only get worst.

As the other men actively converse regarding their plan, one particular man is silent.

He was fiddling with his trinket.

It is a pendant with a shape of full moon.

One side is made of ruby; the other side is made of sapphire.

"Vergil."

His name is called.

"What do you want, Roswaal...?"

He drawls at the end of his sentence.

This man always irks him.

"The summoning of _Temen-ni-gru_... How long will it take?"

"!"

He stands up from the shock of it.

The master of six elements merely smirks at him.

"Perhaps it's about time for us to aid you with your obsession."

* * *

/***scene break***/

* * *

(Shirou Emiya's point of view)

Eve is carving me an apple.

I mean appa...

After living so long in this world, I'm still having problem discerning this fruit.

...

I noticed that my cloak is gone.

"Emiya-san, is there something troubling you?" The blond girl with red eyes asks.

"How long have we been here?"

The girl muses.

As she thinks, she puts down the carved apple... I mean appa.

?

!

Her hair—

"It's almost a week. You fell unconscious for a day before we arrived. After speaking with Ram-san, you were out cold for five more days."

As she speaks, her golden locks form two hands, resuming her work.

?

"Huh...? I was out for six days...!?"

The girl nods.

"They say your wounds were cursed. That suspicious nobleman was unable to discern the type of curse. The other expert in this mansion was reluctant to help you. She said it would be a waste of her time." She informs me.

...

"You mentioned someone named Ram. Is that the pink haired maid?"

The blond girl nods.

"She was a very appealing individual. I find her amicable." She smiles as she recalls the maid.

...

I guess Eve has been making friends while I was unconscious.

[Sigh]

I sigh in relieve.

"Speaking of which, your overcoat was terribly damaged. Rem-san is doing her best to fix it. But she informed me that it's almost impossible to repair it. Plus, it was badly stained with blood. The colour of the coat is white so it's sort of difficult to clean it up wholly."

...

There goes Reinhard's gift to me...

"I suppose I should give up on that coat... How are you this past six days?"

Her hair has finished carving the apple.

"It was an amazing period of time. Aside from the master, the servants were friendly. There were some looming men walking about but the silver haired man was very sociable. The one who brought me here, Vergil wasn't affable. But I can tell that he's not a bad person." She narrates cheerfully.

I smile tiredly.

She really enjoys being here.

Roswaal really seems fishy that Eve feels uncomfortable around him.

...

Silver haired man...

Where did I hear such features...?

[Door click]

?

Eve and I turn towards the newcomer.

It was a small girl with ringlets hairstyle.

Her hair is blond but of different shade compare to Eve.

"Beatrice-san...?" The girl besides me tilts her head.

[Sigh]

The small girl with strange shaped irises let out a sigh.

"They told Betty that the curse inflicted upon you is odd, I suppose."

She makes her way to my side.

Upon reaching the bedside, she tilts her head.

...

It was the curse of _Gae Bolg_ , a foreign force.

There's no way she can discern it.

"What's with your smell? It reeks of steel, I suppose."

?

She proceeds to place her small palm on my arm.

"You're not human, I suppose."

...

"I can say the same to you."

At my remark, she snorts.

"Betty is not familiar with this curse. Nevertheless, it still follows a similar rule to other curses, I suppose."

?

"Can you disperse it, Beatrice-san?" Eve inquires.

The other blond girl nods.

"It shouldn't be a problem for Betty, I suppose."

!

Red smoke flies out from all over my body.

"A powerful curse, I suppose. If Betty was a normal spell caster, it's impossible to remove it."

The red smoke was sucked into her small palm.

The moment she grips it, vitality returns to my body.

"That man owes Betty for this, I suppose."

The girl removes herself from my side.

"Um Beatrice-san... Thank you for helping Emiya-san." Eve bows at her.

"No need to thank Betty, I suppose. Just... accompany Betty whenever you have time." The girl says without looking back.

The girl besides me nods vigorously.

"Now... Betty is going to collect a favour, I suppose."

[Door click]

The girl with ringlets exits the room without addressing me.

...

Did that girl just removed _Gae Bolg's_ curse like it was nothing?

I underestimated this world's brand of magic...

* * *

/***Interlude***/

* * *

A silver haired man is slanting his back against a wall.

He is waiting for someone.

And the one he was waiting has arrived.

It was a man in dark red robes with gold linings.

"You were expecting me?" The newcomer questions him.

The man with cat-like eyes smirks.

"You're not questioning me, Strife?"

The red mage remains silent.

"Among all of us, I'm the most untrustworthy. After all, I did attempt to reveal Scorn's plot to Shirou Emiya."

The former minion of Saruin snorts.

"What you did was none of my concern. We did come to an agreement six hundred years; our actions will not benefit others."

The man in black overcoat removes his back from the wall.

"Creating Philosopher's Stone, huh? Was it that hard to separate merged souls?"

The Grand Mage of Emijah cult nods.

"If Emijah was just dead, we can simply revive him with a proper vessel. He is an entity. However, his existence is being sealed inside that Shirou Emiya. Quite a blunder..."

The silver haired man walks away with a smirk.

"Are you having fun, Harbinger? This world is only a playground to you, isn't it, Sephiroth?"

* * *

/***Interlude 2***/

* * *

The master of the manor is smirking.

In front of him is the Third Grand Mage of Emijah Cult.

"Why are you so obstinate with Saruin, Spite? Your fellow mages already moved to Emijah."

The man in red robe snorts.

"Emijah and Saruin have little difference. Both of them desire for world's destruction."

The master of six elements nods.

"Nevertheless, Saruin has always been my master, my creator. Just because Emijah brought us to 'existence' doesn't mean my allegiance will change. We were fictional characters, made by humans for entertainment. My 'character' was made this way. I am a loyal follower."

Roswaal L. Mathers swirls his wine glass.

"Fictional characters... I find it hard to believe. What is the difference between us, Lugnican inhabitants with you, 'fictional characters made to life'?"

"None..." His companion answered.

The nobleman smirks again.

"Precisely... There's no difference between us."

Spite tilts his head.

"Why did you hold me here, Roswaal? I may be the jovial one among the three of us, Grand Mages, but I prefer a meaningful conversation."

Roswaal clasps his hands in front of the table.

"Tell me; how did you came to existence? I did inquire from Sephiroth and Vergil. However, they were uncooperative. Little need to be said with the Conqueror."

The red mage drinks from his glass.

"I see... Is it curiosity or is it something of greater importance?" He says after finishing his drink.

"If it is possible, your answer might be the solution for my wish." The master of six elements claims.

At his remark, Spite raises his eyebrow under his hood.

"I thought your sole wish was to destroy the Dragon."

Roswaal's smirk intensifies.

"That's only a side wish. I yearn for my Master, the one who made me as I am today."

The red mage places down his glass.

"An interesting statement... Surely, you didn't say it to butter me?"

A serious expression answers Spite's question.

"Then, we are the same. Very well..."

* * *

/***Interlude 3***/

* * *

The half demon, son to the legendary knight Sparda, is walking alone in the woods nearby Arlam Village.

As he marches, he fiddles with his trinket once again.

It was a memento of his dead mother.

"That girl..."

His mind wanders to the blond girl he rescued.

The name of that girl almost resembles his mother's.

"Yo Vergil, where do think you're going?"

A voice he recognized greets him.

A smirk slowly makes way to his face.

An identical man is approaching him.

His red overcoat contrasts Vergil's blue overcoat.

Unlike Vergil's hair, which is slicked upward, the newcomer lets his hair flops down.

The newcomer also has a Zweihander strapped to his back.

"Dante."

"You know, you've been a pain in the ass. I have to travel all over the place to find you. I had to fight monsters, fight crazy guys in robes that spout something about Satella, deal with guards, got thrown into the slammer for crimes I never did... And the worst part of it, I GOT SLAPPED BY CHICKS!"

The white haired man muses as he inspects his twin.

"Did you have fun travelling in this world?"

"Fun? Yeah, it was plenty of fun! But it got no pizza so I prefer my old world." The young looking man in red pulls out a black gun by the name Ebony.

Vergil simply closes his eyes.

"By the way, our age seems to freeze in this world. Did you make a pact with the Devil or something?" The newcomer questions his brother.

"Make a pact? I'd rather kill him."

[Sword unsheathe]

The man in blue overcoat slowly pulls out his katana.

[Sigh]

His twin let out a sigh.

"You know, we don't need to fight. Just hand over my part."

"Come and get it." Vergil says with a smirk.

Dante raises his eyebrow.

"Since when you got this aggressive?"

He pulls out Ivory from its holster.

"Oh, I know. You got bored. Fine, how about a kiss from your little brother? Better yet, how about a kiss from this!"

[GUNSHOTS]

 **[Insert Soundtrack ~ Devil May Cry 3 – Vergil Battle 1]**

Already anticipated the move, Vergil spins his blade to deflect the incoming bullets.

He arranges the bullet on the ground.

"Not going to happen...!"

Dante leaps to the air.

"HYAAAHH!"

[SMASH]

The man in blue evades the Helm Breaker with a dodge roll.

[CLANG]

Since they were close, the man in red swings his broadsword wildly.

However, Vergil managed to block it with ease.

"Predictable."

[CLANG, CLANG, CLANG]

Katana versus Zweihander.

The twins exchange blows, with each blow enough to strong enough to produce shockwaves.

Dante jumps backward.

His twin in blue overcoat notices his intention.

[GUNSHOTS]

Aerial shots.

Vergil dashes as he deflects the bullets.

He was rushing towards Dante's landing point.

Sensing his impending doom, the man in red performs an acrobatic flip.

"Hmm...?"

His twin in blue attire was confused by his action.

"WOOHOO...!"

[GUNSHOTS]

Dante spins as he flies down.

Almost caught off guard, Vergil summons multiple ethereal swords to shield him.

He launches the summoned swords as counter attack.

[CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG]

His twin successfully wards off his attack.

"How about a change of flavour?"

[Finger click]

Several swords appear around Dante.

[CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG]

"Heh..."

A cocky smirk appears on Dante's face.

Vergil reacts with his own smirk.

In a split second, they moved.

[SWOOSH]

"IYAAAAH!"

A powerful thrust from Dante.

Nevertheless, Vergil has already anticipated his move.

With his sword sheathed, he smacks his weapon to his brother.

And he lands another cuff before his hand makes way for the sword handle.

Just before Vergil could unsheathe his weapon, Dante swings his sword, Rebellion.

[SWOOSH]

However, his attack missed.

"Huh...?"

"DIE...!"

[SWOOSH]

[SPLAT]

A quick lunge from Vergil.

Dante was thrown backward.

First blood was drawn.

Nevertheless, that isn't enough to keep him down.

The young looking man stands back up with bleeding stomach.

"This party is just getting started!"

He flicks his sword.

His twin, Vergil simply smirks as he slowly sheathes Yamato.

"Bring it."

#Chapter End#

* * *

[Author's note]

Still working on the next EX chapters.

Probably will take longer than a week.

Thanks for reading!


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